How to Summit Life’s Everyday Mountains
“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” ~Confucius How can a mountain better prepare us for life? At over 14,000 feet, there’s more to learn than I would have thought. Last week I sat on top of Mt. Shasta, a 14,179 foot mountain in Northern California. It was my first real summit and I was proud. Getting there took me through two days of snow, ice and below-freezing camping conditions, using crampons, an ice axe, and more layers than I thought I owned. As I climbed, and especially on my way down, I began to realize the lessons required to reach the top and make it back down safely. As it turns out, the most important rules are just as relevant in the snow as they are in conquering our everyday challenges. When was the last time you reached a mountain summit, whether outdoors or in life? We face our own mountains everyday. Some small. Some big. There’s always a summit we want to reach. Maybe it’s running those few miles before work, making that intimid...