I have a new objective: to get ready to climb Mont Blanc this summer.
It sounded like a great idea when “summer” was a vaguely defined pipe dream on the horizon of my thoughts. Now that “summer” has arrived and I am trotting off to climb the highest mountain in Western Europe in 10 days I’m a little bit terrified.
I’ve had to remind myself (generally while I’m looking through expensive piles of waterproof outwear, envisioning the cushion an orange North Face Summit Series windbreaker will provide when I fall into a 1,000 foot crevasse) that being a little bit terrified is not a bad thing. It means I am attempting something out of my comfort zone. To ready get to climb Mont Blanc, I thought back to remember other scary things I’ve done.
Other times in my life when I’ve been a little bit terrified include:
1) When I moved to Hong Kong (I don’t speak Chinese, and my concern about getting sold into white slavery after accepting a job on the internet felt reasonable)
2) When I ended my last serious relationship.
3) The first time I went skydiving. Okay, every time I go skydiving.
4) When I learned how to drive (I was 20 years old and it took me between 6 months and 7 years to complete the process, depending on who you talk to)
5) The first time I went camping by myself.
So, looking back–am I glad I overtook all these moderately terrifying endeavors? Big Yes. Because attempting terrifying things changes my perspective. I’m able to look back and compare the NEW terrifying things to the OLD terrifying things…and I think that is what Opera Deepak Chopra, Benjamin Franklin meant when he talked about personal growth. Even if I fail, it gives me a way to continue the evolution of my spirit. As long as I don’t fall off the mountain…and that is what my windbreaker is for. Happy Wednesday!
Thanks to Markus Henze for the banner photo.