Climbing Mt. Everest (Part 1)—Life Lessons

In this episode of the Becoming You podcast, I reflect on my 29029 Everesting experience.

Before the first step...

The very first thing that hit me when I began the climb was how steep the mountain was. I felt like I was shrinking with every anxious thump I felt in my chest.

I had grossly underestimated the elevation and the steepness of this mountain.

Fighting through the pain

As I began climb #2, I started to feel a dull, throbbing pain in my hip. It was then that I regretted putting on the back-burner the hip-flexor strengthening work we were trained to do.

By climb #4, I was wincing in pain every time I lifted my leg. By the time I got to the top, I was ready to call it quits.

But after all that time I spent reconnecting with my body, preparing for this moment, that just wasn’t an option.

So, off I went to the gondola back down the mountain. I then headed straight for the recovery room.

A second wind

At the recovery room, this absolute angel named Tiffany worked on my hip for almost two hours. She even helped me get my lunch in.

I’ll be honest. He wasn’t my favorite person to be around on that journey.

But that’s only because he was telling me the truth. And don’t we all hate it when someone gives us the cold, harsh truth?

I met another angel on the way up, Coach Dawn. She asked me how I was doing, and I repeated my mantra that I had been practicing for months: “I’m strong. I’m capable. I can do this.”

Coach Dawn held space for me. She was a witness to my pain on the inside. It was truly a moment of healing. It was medicine to my soul.

My why was to prove to myself that I am capable.

Surrounding myself with winners

All of the volunteers, I learned, were finishers of 29029 Everesting.

That’s why it’s so important to surround yourself with a community of people all striving toward the same or similar goals.

Hiking through the night

After 8:30 PM and with dinner done, I decided to trek through the night.

Through the rain that started to pour soon after.

Through the ankle-deep mud.

Through the harsh winds.

Through the low-visibility.

Just be you

I was like a baby going up and down that mountain.

I’d let random people help me take off my backpack and put it back on. Same with my gloves. Same with applying my own ChapStick!

I was nowhere near the fastest nor the fittest. And yet, one of the biggest surprises for me was how many people told me that I was so inspiring to be around.

Best of all, at the end of the whole thing, the entire room full of participants cheered and clapped as my story was told as part of our final meeting together. I was told that I was more inspiring than the first person who finished the event in 15-and-a-half hours.

We don’t have to be anything but ourselves if we want to make an impact.

Be the most you, you can be. Do the very best you can. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, you inspire others simply because you showed up.

Don’t let the mountain bully you

Climbing this mountain 17 times taught me that life is just about taking one step at a time.

When I first looked up those 1,750 feet, I thought it was an impossible task.

But guess what?I was able to conquer this same mountain not once, but 17 times, because I focused on one step at a time.

And celebrate every single one of the steps you take.

I truly believe that I am capable of accomplishing whatever I set my mind to.

Probably not as fast as I would want to. But that doesn’t matter.

Deep down, in the soul of my being, I know that I’m so capable.

Learn more about me and my coaching services:

Free resource: 10 Ways to Spark Your Self Love Journey

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