“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”

– Sir Edmund Hillary, Mountaineer

Half Dome in California, Donoho Peak in Alaska, Stromboli in Italy, the Alps in France…mountains are my happy place. I know: ironic for someone who lives in the flattest country on the planet.

On the other hand, it makes perfect sense: the mountains are so different from my day-to-day world, they are the best place to recharge!

Challenge Accepted

Hiking a mountain is not easy. Long day-hikes or backpacking trips are my jam, but they can be exhausting. They require strength and endurance, and not just from the body.

The mental challenge is real. You learn to push past what you think is your limit, because you can’t have a limit: half-way up a mountain is not the place to say: “I’ve had enough. I quit.” You’re on a freakin’ slope and you must continue, either by moving forward or by turning around and going back.

Even if you decide to turn around (let’s be honest: sometimes that’s the best choice), the moment you do, you still have to keep moving. Step by step, until you reach your destination.

Life in Hyper-Focus

Life gets intense while you’re hiking. You have to pay attention to where you are and what you’re doing. You’re unapologetically in the moment because the mountains are big and dangerous and unforgiving: one wrong step can kill you – you slip and fall off a ledge, you stumble upon an angry mama bear, you get stuck in a moraine (seriously).

The mountains demand your attention. There’s no room to think about that complicated thing at work or your annoying neighbor. Nope. There’s just THIS moment, RIGHT NOW, and it’s gloriously simple: life, or death.

Prepare for Change

Ah, speaking of death: the weather in the mountains can change in a heartbeat and if you’re not prepared, your story may not have a very happy ending. Being prepared for an unexpected change in weather is paramount to mountain safety. On any given day you may see sun, rain, snow, and extreme winds.

It’s all part of being in the mountains and you need to deal with it: pack the right gear and adjust.

Magic of the Mountains

So, you’ve conquered your body’s limitations, you’ve survived hungry bears and wet, slippery ledges, you’ve defied the reaper and reset your brain and you’ve finally made it to the top!

Guess what? It was TOTALLY worth it!

The magical view! The feeling of accomplishment! The confidence that you can do anything you set your mind to!

It’s addicting, isn’t it?

Just Like Writing

I’ve found that – for me – writing is kind of like conquering a mountain: it has an undeniable pull, it’s a journey full of scary things, it’s long and slow and hard, it demands my full attention, I adjust to the proverbial bad weather and pack sunblock for the blue-sky-days…

I put in the effort: step by step, word by word, until I’ve finally reached those two magical words:

THE END.