Life is bursting with possibilities for enriching activities.
I love to do things that help me experience more of myself and of life. Certain activities can affect my mindset, open me up, activate dormant parts of me, catalyse new discoveries, get into my cells. Their positive impacts can spill beyond the activity itself and influence how I approach my day, my work, my conversations, my choices.
Something that has a powerful effect on me in these ways, is multi-day hiking. Each year, over the past several years, I’ve done a longer multi-day hike. Our trail choice last year was the Tour du Mont Blanc. It is a 100-mile trek in the Alps, through France, Italy and Switzerland, with 10,000-metres of total elevation. It is stunning. I’d totally recommend it! Here are some of the most valuable things I took away from that trail.
1 – Perspective
Scale was inescapable on the Tour du Mont Blanc. For ten days, we were surrounded by, and climbing to the top of, massive mountains. This made me feel wonderfully small. In this shrunken form, I was less identified with myself and with my thoughts. Previous concerns and considerations became insignificant and I was drenched in peaceful, wordless perspective. What a gift!
2 – Awe
The breathtaking beauty and the majesty of the mountains put me in a profound state of awe. I can feel it now (to a certain degree) as I recall it. It feels hugely nourishing.
“Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world.” Dacher Keltner, author of ‘Awe – The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.’
3) Digging deep
Each multi-day trek we’ve completed so far, has contained its own particular challenges. On the Tour du Mont Blanc there was a stand-out difficult day. I was suffering with a bug that was going round. It was pelting down with rain. In a weakened state, I had to climb that day’s mountain without stopping – pausing in that kind of weather would have meant getting far too cold. So, I had to dig deep and walk consistently until I reached the top. When I reached the summit, a mountain refuge lived up to its name and provided much needed shelter and a warm drink. It’s powerful to experience your inner reserves when you are required to dig deep, and to be reminded that they are waiting there should a need arise.
4) Strength
We were highly motivated to train well for the Tour du Mont Blanc, as not only did we want to complete it, but we also wanted to enjoy the experience. The extra preparation left me feeling physically strong and I noticed how that strength carried through into my mindset and spirit in my day-to-day life.
5) Diversity and openness
On multi-day trails, you often meet people from all over the world. I find it incredibly enriching to spend time with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, speaking different languages. These connections are not only fun, but they also keep me open-minded and curious about the world.
For me these hikes are more than physical adventures, they are activating forces. They spark powerful aspects of being human and being truly alive, in ways that stay with me well after the trail ends.
By the way, I get activated in significant ways from reading an amazing novel. So, I don’t rely on big trail adventures for positive activations – as that is not available to me on a daily basis!
What is being activated or recharged in you by activities you engage in, whether that be more everyday activities or bigger adventures? What exciting new possibilities may exist and what transformative power may they contain? What do you wish to dedicate your time to? What effects may be felt way beyond the activity itself?