Are you familiar with the phrase the “rough” side of the mountain? What does that really mean anyway? Is one side of the mountain choppy and the other not? I always interpreted it as a metaphor for dealing with a difficult situation. Then, after the challenges of 2020 and the first week of 2021, I had to stop and think. Isn’t it more difficult to climb a smooth mountain?
Think about it, if you’re attempting to climb physical mountain and it’s smooth, what are you holding on to? What are you using to stabilize your hands and feet? The pits, pockets, grooves or whatever terms are used to describe the roughness of the mountainside, are what actually allow you to climb the mountain.
The same can be said for our lives. Without the challenges, how do we learn to navigate difficult situations? Whether at work, school or home, challenges will arrive at some point, and our previous experiences act as teaching tools to help us move forward or up the proverbial mountain. Smooth mountains, if they exist, allow you to slip quickly to the base (starting point) and can hinder your progress.
So while 2020 was a tough journey on the entire world, I hope your toolbox is fully equipped for the journey ahead. Place your hands and feet in the grooves of those who have already faced the challenges ahead of you and thank them. It may not lessen the challenge, but at least you know someone has been on this path before. Smooth mountains are HARD to climb.
#knowyourWHYdesignyourwellness
