- Take a risk – attempt the climb.
- Go at your own pace.
- Respect others pace.
- One step at a time.
- Find happiness in the work/doing.
- Don’t give up!
- When it gets the hardest you’ll grow the most.
- Once you reach the summit, take time to enjoy the view!
Once I was hiking a very difficult and strenuous trail 2800 feet up to the top of Camelback mountain in Phoenix, Arizona. It was sunny and hot and the entire trail required rigorous rock climbing. To add to this challenge many very fit younger people were constantly passing me as I was climbing too slow for them.
As I hiked, a huge source of frustration for me were the many “false peaks”. Meaning, it looked like I was almost to the summit and I’d finally get to the top of yet another hill only to see the trail curve left. I still had many more hills to climb! Isn’t that how life is? We bust through one obstacle only to be faced with another?
I was very upset and frustrated that I couldn’t see the end. The more I questioned “when does this trail end?” the more unstable I and my footing became.
It hit me then how climbing a mountain truly is the ultimate metaphor for life. Some will climb faster and higher, some slower. Some are too fearful to even attempt to climb because they are afraid of falling (or failing). We all go at our own pace and it’s important to honor that in each other. What may be easy for you is next to impossible for someone else.
We all are reminded to “be in the moment” yeah, yeah we know. But do we really live in the now? When our minds start thinking too much, questions like, “what if?” and “when will things get better?” arise. Those are dangerous questions because they are about the future. All they bring is uncertainty and fear of the unknown. However, when you are living in the moment there is no uncertainty. That’s because there is only now. And in this minute I’m okay.
When I decided to let go of future questions about my hike like, “when will I get to the top?”, “what if I can’t get there?” I was able to stay in the moment and concentrate on taking one step at a time. As a result I relaxed and was able to focus.
And when we put our head down and focus on the work at hand guess what happens? We actually enjoy the journey and eventually get to the summit just like I did on Camelback mountain!
Hilary of Hilary’s Mindful Living
