What Adventures Can Teach Us

For the last couple of weeks Daniel and I have been travelling and going on many adventures. One of which was a four day expedition, where we hiked from Squamish to Whistler through the backcountry. This trip was more epic than I could’ve imagined. We climbed mountain after mountain following no trail, finding our own way up and down the mountainsides. We covered a variety of terrain – jumping crevasses, crossing glaciers, wading through roaring rivers, and bushwhacking our way through the jungle.  The trip was spectacular, the views were incredible, the route was exciting, and the experience was rewarding. It was also scary at times, filled with life threatening risks. There were a couple incidents that had my heart drop and my adrenaline pumping. In the midst of risk and struggle, mixed with nature’s spectacular feats, I found a new appreciation for the life around me.

Adventures are such a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect and grow. Every time they’re different and each trip has new life lessons waiting for us. This hike made me reflect on the benefits of adventures and what they can teach us.

They make us step out of our comfort zone.

We grow by pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone.  By trying new activities or things that scare you, you’re able to learn and develop. It will help you gain a new perspective, stimulate creativity, and foster a deeper understanding of those around you. This trip pushed me outside of my comfort zone and has changed the way I look at myself and nature. It made me reevaluate what I am capable of. By getting out in nature you can redefine what’s possible and surpass your expectations. This trip also made me look at mountains in a whole new way – now I can’t help but look at them and scout the best route up. And after starring down the crevasses into complete darkness, I have gained a deeper respect for nature’s power and force. Adventures push our limits, help us grow, and make us redefine what’s possible.

They make us draw on support, encouragement and belief in ourselves. 

Adventures help us tap into ourselves and find what we need in order to push through any challenge. They make us draw on support, encouragement and belief in ourselves in order to conquer the difficult task at hand. There was a special moment on the glacier when one of the dogs had to jump a crevasse. This one was bigger than the rest and he was very apprehensive. When we grabbed him and tried to force him over, he recoiled and resisted. Then we switched the approach. We started encouraging him and cheering him on, that positive reinforcement worked instantly and he made the jump with such ease. I thought this moment showed the power of belief, encouragement and support, and what can happen when we tap into it. This trip had me drawing on my inner strength and support from those around me. Adventures help us tap into ourselves and our environment to break through any challenge and achieve our goals.

They make us focus on one step at a time.

There were moments during this hike when the key was focusing on just one step at a time. On day two, after 8 hours of glacier crossings, we had to find our way down the very steep mountain in order to make camp. Our feet were cut up, our legs shaky, and the task at hand seemed daunting. It required so much focus to watch our footing and make it safely down the mountainside. It really showed the importance of focusing on one step at time. Adventures teach us that we can conquer any challenge and achieve any goal by just focusing on the task at hand. On our last day of hiking, we had already hiked two mountains and when we reached the third, Daniel turned to me and said “it’s just one step at a time”. It was a moment that sunk in – adventures teach us that we can tackle any obstacle, all we need to do is just focus on each small step ahead.

What can you learn from your next adventure?

With love,

Lucy