The Climb

My head started churning things over (yet again) when I heard an interview on The 7PM Project between Jesse Martin and Jessica Watson. The bit that stuck out for me was this:

Jesse: What makes you think you can do this [be the youngest to sail solo around the world]?
Jessica: I just wanted to do something. I didn't have anything going for me. You just go out there and you try and blunder along and you work out a way to do it. I wouldn't be doing it if I thought it was going to be easy.

and this too...

Jessica: Whatever your dream is go for it. If you really want something you can go out and achieve it. It's going to be hard but you'll find a way.

Thanks Jess. You helped me climb out of my cocoon and start to dream and believe again. I wish you all the best on your trip too. Take care young sailor.

Life is full of peaks and troughs. It has been said many times before that it is the troughs, the lows, that test and challenge you. The test is really 'well, how strong are you?' When I've been through my lows, I have struggled to pull myself up again, and to find the strength within myself to try again and to not give up on myself and what I may have been trying to achieve. But sometimes people come into your life at just the right time, or opportunities will present themselves at a critical moment. For me, it was Jess and this blog post from Cherie Horne: Climb in Nepal with me in 2010. That was all I needed to climb out of my cocoon. I waited patiently for the next post (Mera Peak 2010) and it was when I read about the expedition on Monday night that I had already committed to joining Cherie and Nick Farr on what will surely be the most amazing journey of self-discovery, strength and courage that I have ever had. Climbing any mountain isn't for the faint hearted and this climb is serious high altitude stuff (not as serious as Everest or the other 13 peaks over 8000m).

I want to go. Now! It's been a long, long time that I have been so excited about anything. THIS IS IT. My chance to shine. My chance to challenge myself. Challenge myself to believe in myself. To build my confidence. To grow as a person. To learn about something I currently know very little about.

Thanks Cherie. Love you lots ( )