Challenge yourself!

Recently, I was hiking in the high Alps with a couple of friends.  When I say ‘high’, I mean above 2300m; it was high.  And when I say ‘hiking’, I mean very steep scree walking, scrambling up rocky paths often on all fours and clipping on with a harness and karabinas to climb ladders up rock faces; it was dangerous.  I had gone along thinking it would be a hike up to a couple of refuges in the mountains, and I knew there would be some ladders to climb, but the reality was quite different.  Faced with my own mortality at times as the paths were precipitous – one step out of place and there would have been not stopping until the bottom of the cliffs – it was a fascinating insight into my mind and fears and how they control me.  Ladders do not phase me at any other time, but the knowledge that if I slipped and fell I would die was a completely different situation.  I was filled with thoughts of what could happen and what if one of my friends fell.  I had to muster all my courage to continue and actually, the thought of giving up and going back was worse than the climb!

The hike was the most physically challenging situation I have put myself through for many years.  The sense of achievement was immense, relief a large part of that, and to be counted as equals by the other adventurers at the refuges each night was very satisfying.

I am telling you about this because apart from rising to the challenge, overcoming my fear and completing this trial, what I realised on my return was that it had somehow reset my emotional self.  I was no longer worrying or even thinking about events and issues from before, and in fact, I have been left with a sense of peace and calm that I haven’t had for many years.

Although climbing in the mountains might not be your bag, to challenge yourself to do something you’ve never done, to step out of your daily life for a time, to feel some powerful emotion, is cathartic and cleansing and can give us a sense of perspective and balance in our lives.

What can you do this week to challenge yourself?  To step out of your comfort zone?  Here are some ideas:

• Learn a new skill – knitting, car maintenance, dancing
• Do something new – swim in the sea in the winter, go for a 10 mile walk on your own, try a new cookery skill
• Sign yourself up for the Parkrun, or a physical challenge like a 10km run
• Clear out a cupboard or your loft – be bold and throw stuff away that you don’t love – let someone else love it!

Have fun this week!