In this episode of the Becoming You podcast, I share a very personal journey that I’m about to embark on and the transformation I’m currently undergoing as I prepare for this life-changing challenge.
I’m getting ready to climb Mount Everest.
No, not the real Mount Everest.
Rather, I aim to climb Stratton Mountain in Vermont. Not quite as daunting as trekking up Earth’s highest mountain…
...except that I’m planning to scale Stratton Mountain 17 times—as if I was climbing the real Everest—within 36 hours.
Organizing this event is a company called 29029 Everesting.
What on Earth possessed me—a person who has never been a fan of working out—to take part in this insane challenge?
As it happens with many of the biggest decisions I’ve made in my adult life, it all started with a coach who shared her own “Everesting” experience on her blog, speaking in detail about how this event changed her as a person.
When I read her story, I felt this deep yearning within me to sign up for the same event.
You might call this decision “impulsive”. But if you think about it, impulse, more often than not, is your intuition pushing you in a certain direction. And it pays for us to act on them whenever they come before our mind steps in (which often only takes a second) to tell us why those ideas are nothing more than “silly”.
Intuition is not logical or rational. Rather, intuition is connected to your soul. Intuition is your soul guiding you to do the things that you desire, because that is the key to unlocking your ultimate potential—the fullest expression of who you are meant to be.
And so it was my intuition that inspired me to call the company to book myself for their next event.
What I love about 29029 Everesting is that, unlike a marathon, the only person you’re competing with is yourself. There is no pressure to complete the event. You do as many summits as you can within 36 hours.
29029 Everesting has really designed their event in such a way that you can celebrate yourself no matter where you end up once the challenge is over.
In other words, there is no failure.
There is only one thing that levels the playing field for these endurance events: your mindset. More than physicality, your mental strength is the most important factor to your success on this journey.
Again, my physical ability isn’t as important as my mental capability. While I was super uncomfortable in my training early on, it wasn’t so much that I couldn't physically do the exercises as it was that I would’ve rather done something else.
But I pushed on, even if I didn’t feel like it. I learned to take my mind off of the pain and the time it would take to do the workouts.
I went from telling myself, “I hope I can do this,” to, “I can do this.”
It also helped me to visualize the end result, of how I would transform after it’s all over.
What starts in the mind affects the body.
We cannot manifest a desire or a dream until we make our bodies feel safe with what we are attracting. And we can help our bodies feel safe by imagining the things we desire.
At the same time, we can use the power of affirmations to further build on that momentum that began with our visualizations.
Visualizations are a powerful way to attract your desired reality into your life. But getting others involved—collective visualization—takes this power to a whole new level.
Whether or not I end up accomplishing this massive goal, I would be forever grateful for your help in playing a part in it.
Learn more about me and my coaching services:
Free resource: 10 Ways to Spark Your Self Love Journey
Becoming You
The Becoming You podcast is a show for high-achieving individuals searching for more meaning, fulfillment, and purpose in life. It dives deep into self-love, spirituality, and mindset. I am Visa Shanmugam, your host, and life and mindset coach. Join me every week to learn how to go from living a life on autopilot to a fully conscious, present life using nothing but the power of your mind. Learn more at www.visalakshi.com
