![Conquering Mount Kinabalu]()
I was discussing the next phase of my project with my coach this morning when the conversation touched on my scaling Mt Kinabalu this time last year. I remember seeing the biggest, brightest moon as we scaled up from Laban Rata to the summit in the wee hours of the morning and finally reaching the summit to catch sunrise.
As I look at the metaphorical mountain in front of (more likely inside of) me, my coach skilfully brought me back to the preparation program I put in place for scaling Mt Kinabalu. It was not a difficult mountain to climb, however, given the sedentary lifestyle and my chronic knee problem that was a challenge.
I knew that if I want to conquer Mt Kinabalu, I had to put together a program that involves changing my lifestyle. I practise self care mentally, physically and spiritually. It was easy for me to put in consistent effort and commit to the training program; it was however frustrating that my body was not responding to the program in the way I had wanted it to.
Progress was not nearly as fast for the effort put in. I increased the frequency and the duration of the training sessions and I pushed harder for progress, until one day my Instructor took me aside and asked if I could accept and respect my body’s progress and let nature takes its course in due time.
That insight struck me like lightning. I was lacking acceptance of myself? I was lacking acceptance of the situation and events around me? We so want to be in control! The lesson was to accept that result was not entirely in my control. What an insight! In our relationships, our family, our profession, our health, isn’t it true that there are things which are out of our control that we need to accept? Why then do we fret and stress over those? The harder we push there, the harder the resistance.
I have mails that I have not caught up with from my dear single mom friends. I feel what you are writing and although I cannot fully understand what each one of you are going through right now, I can appreciate the frustration, disappointment and pain. I see mixtures of emotions in your writing, I see turmoil and I can see that you have put in much effort and heart yet the results are not matching your expectations.
What is the mountain in front/inside of you? Then decide if you want to conquer this mountain. And if you do, what program do you need to have in place? Next design and find your support structure. And remember to note the things that are outside of your control which you need to accept.
You can and will change those things that are within your control; yet how do you make it alright for you not to be affected by the things you cannot control? I can change my sleeping habits, my eating habits, and I can follow an exercise program AND I need to accept that I cannot control how my body will respond to the altitude or the slopes.
There is no point in me being frustrated with my body for that reality. And to make this alright for me, I may need to take a gentler route or go slower. There are many routes to the same destination, each with different scenery, why insist on the one? Accept, and be compassionate on yourselves.
You need awareness of the mountain you are trying to conquer. Do whatever it takes to change what is in your control to conquer that mountain and accept that which are outside of your control. Be compassionate on yourself, learn to live with reality and move forward.
A mountain is not conquered in one day, we have to start somewhere and beginner's class is as good a place to start. If you like to have some self awareness, structures and support, I invite you to come join us on the weekly calls. You can find clarity, support and we will practise our training program together.
Regular teleseminars are held for you and registration is simple and straight forward. Click here and follow the instructions and I look forward to talking to you on the next call.
Posted via email from AbundantLivesCoaching.com | Louisa Chan
