10 Lessons trekking has taught me !!

Enroute Kalsubai

Just keep moving ahead.....
No matter how unfamiliar the terrain , how arduous the ascent , however tired one is , one must always keep moving AHEAD ..


 It is April already and I haven't blogged at all this year !
 NO.I haven't been all that busy ."LAZY" that is the apt word!! This particular blog was in the pipeline since ages! Anyway , better late than never  I say ! :) Do give me your valuable feedback .











LESSONS LEARNT FROM TREKKING 

1) TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME .  That's all that is required to reach the pinnacle !

   Many a times we tend to plan out things way more than what is required,only to end up making a glorious mess of it! ( I know, I do!) Trekking has taught me that it is of paramount importance to precisely plan one's next foothold,and not the next 100metres.... unless we are sure footed, we cannot make our next move,however good it be!


2) REST YOU MUST,BUT DON'T YOU QUIT !    

 We often tend to run short of breath during the ascent . All we do then is , take a momentary pause. Maybe have a sip or two of water and inhale deeply. Once we regain our breath we simply continue the trek ...  Why not do the same when life beats you down to your knees ???
      As Dory says in Finding Nemo , " JUST KEEP SWIMMING .....JUST KEEP SWIMMING ...."
           And that's all that matters ....  :)


3) NEVER LOOK BACK WHILST MOVING FORWARD

   One of the primary lessons trekking has taught me is to never look behind !{Except for a snap or two ;) OK!Who am I kidding! Maybe for a dozen or so }
  It only messes up our rhythm and does more harm than good !
   I feel this is applicable to our lives as well . Yes, it is necessary to remember our past but it is more important to create a memorable future which can only be accomplished if we push ourselves forward and focus on our present by learning from the past...


4) YOU GET WHAT YOU DESIRE

 Often we tend to lose faith in oneself and start doubting our capabilities...More so after a failure. As I juxtapose trekking to our life, I find them to be pretty similar ! To begin a trek firstly we all gather at a spot (lets call it - the plains) , start walking towards the base camp( more like an amble)  gradually begin the climb (not so difficult.Pretty achievable ...) Slowly our ascent becomes arduous , sweat starts dripping and we begin gasping for our breath.... Momentarily we pause and glance to check how others are reacting..We notice it being simple for a handful, while difficult for most. ...
   After a mile or so, it gets steeper and we grit our teeth and push ourselves forward -towards the peak (our destination)    Do we look back at such a juncture ? Do we give up and just halt minutes away from the peak ? Do we undermine our strength and give up ?
   CERTAINLY NOT !!! We just think about the view from the top and push ourselves ! And lemme tell you guys,  that view is fabulous ! As we gulp in that fresh air and soak in the pleasure of our conquest, we feel it was totally worth it!
 I guess this is applicable to our lives as well... We begin our journey as infants,learn to crawl..start running soon... gradually as we age we encounter obstacles.It is a bed of roses for some, not so much for most others..... But ultimately those who desire something truly, ultimately get it !


5) SMILE AND TRUDGE AHEAD & EVEN A DIFFICULT JOURNEY FEELS EASY. - The choice is ours..... 
   It is difficult ,no doubt! But plausible . I wasn't in the best of shape when I trekked Kalsubai. It being the highest peak in Maharashtra ,demanded a certain endurance level and a set of skills that I lacked . The trek was all the more difficult as it was pouring cats and dogs and was very slippery , with loose rocks and boulders all over the place , zero visibility and gusty winds . All I could see was the next step ahead and it was scary !
  But I decided to learn & enjoy this experience and thanks to my wonderful trekking group, we had a blast!!! We ascended really quickly and visited the deity atop the peak.Hoisted our National flag on our Independence day and sang the National anthem.. IT WAS SURREAL !!!!

 Here I was drenched to my bones, teeth chattering , afraid of heights , exhausted after the climb ... and yet somehow I never felt more alive ... :) :) :)

6)PRACTICE IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING 


  I have observed the village folk climb these mountains effortlessly ,balancing a huge bundle of firewood on their heads, or holding a gallon of water minus any footwear .I have had fellow trekkers who despite being senior citizens could give the youth a run for their money.
  This makes me realise it is all about practice ! Unless we cultivate a habit of doing something religiously ( however mundane it may seem to others), we cannot succeed !


7) LOVE AND RESPECT NATURE

 Mother nature in its bounty is so enchanting . We must learn to respect her or face her wrath . .
Trekking has shown me the harsher side of nature as well as her bountifulness in abundance. It feels so invigorating to be amidst nature.She fills us with positive vibes and gratitude .


8) CREATE MEMORIES & YOU SHALL RELIVE THEM FOREVER 

Yes, it is fun to have a million snaps with the same people in different poses ! But trust me ,it is more fun to have memories that make you smile at midnight or make you shudder on a sultry noon..
Trekking has helped me create memories ..Those of picturesque locations ( Yes.We needn't go abroad just to find greenery!) That of making new friends ...The sound of gushing waterfalls ..The spotting of weird flora and fauna ...That epic moment of slipping and falling on one's rear ;) .The adrenaline rush on reaching the pinnacle..There are so many of them! Memories that I shall treasure forever .. It has given me experiences,  stories of which  I cannot wait to tell my (unborn) kids ...


9) THE DESCENT IS ALWAYS FASTER THAN THE ASCENT

  Most of the trekking experiences have showed me that the descent is always pretty smooth and easy as compared to the ascent . The same goes to our professional and personal lives as well.
    We all strive hard to climb up the corporate ladder but at times complacency sets in and we start to stagnate .Pretty soon we find ourselves slipping and before we know it ,we are back to square one. Similarly we work hard in a new relationship,but once the wavelength matches and trust is established , many a times we take people for granted and do not work at maintaining these relationships causing strife and misunderstandings to sink in ...


10) LIFE IS A GIFT . YOLO :) 

Whilst trekking one has to be alert always .We cannot take anything for granted. It takes just a split second for anything untoward to happen ,which has made me realise the importance of life and our duty towards taking care of oneself......
Cliche though it might sound ..... YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE ..SO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF IT!!!


 Do feel free to add up on the above points !!! I am pretty sure there are many more of such teachings !! So keep them coming via your comments :) :)