Many people only ever dream of leaving it all behind to follow their heart. In Wander, Ryan Benz shares the story of how he upended his ‘successful’ life and turned that dream into a reality.

In this raw and authentic memoir, Benz embarks on a journey of physical and emotional perseverance and transformation to discover what it means to live a truly meaningful life.

An encouraging read for the dreamer in each of us, Wander illuminates the impact wandering can have on a person’s life, and is a meditation on purpose, authenticity, and intentionality. While walking over two thousand miles from Georgia to Maine, Benz explores the nature of adventure, self-discovery, and what it means to follow your heart. 

While telling the story of one man’s quest for meaning, Wander also serves as a roadmap for the rest of us, inspiring us to awaken to the potential that lies within and choose the path truest to our being.

While successful by most external measures, by his early thirties, Ryan Benz felt empty and exhausted, dissatisfied with his life, and eager to strengthen his connection to himself and the natural world. In the prime of his life, he chose a nontraditional path, diving headfirst into the world of mindfulness and letting go of everything contributing to his unhappiness—including the career he had spent over ten years building. Turning to the healing power of nature, Benz’s trek took him over two thousand miles through the woods from Georgia to Maine, and with each step traveled, he returned a little closer to his true self. Ryan now spends his time sharing his story to show others they have the power to choose their own path.