This post was inspired by a trip I took to Whistler, British Columbia during Labor Day weekend of this year. Whistler is hands-down one of my favorite vacation destinations. From the awe-inspiring mountains to the myriad of trails for athletic adventures to the international culture, Whistler is a magical place for me.

When I left for my much needed vacation, stress overshadowed the excitement I would normally feel when embarking on a trip, especially a trip to the mountains. I found myself plagued with worry about a project I was working on and I was having trouble "letting go" and trusting everything would work out. Fear of all the "what ifs" brewing in my mind were inhibiting me from truly immersing myself in the present moment and being able to enjoy the adventure that was about to unfold before me.

On the third day of the trip, my good friend and I decided to take the Peak 2 Peak Gondola ride up Blackcomb Mountain. After overcoming a bit of uneasiness over the height factor, I allowed myself to finally "let go" and take in the expansive formations before me during the ride.

I thought about how mountains have always inspired me, given me strength, and fueled my soul with hope. It's hard to explain my strong heart connection to mountains and I often wonder if my love affair with mountains stems from the fact I was born in the Rocky Mountains.

During the Gondola ride, the mountains once again gave me a clarity that was clouded with fear.  The breadth of the mountains reminded me there are a wide-range of possibilities in life if we only allow hope to transcend fear. What I realized is that the source of most people's unhappiness is a lack of hope.

When we are immersed in fear, we feel "stuck", claustrophobic, and in many cases, depressed. By allowing fear's positive counterpart to play a role in our life, all of a sudden we can have a brand-new outlook on life. We realize the specific painful situation or feeling we are dealing with isn't permanent.

After I had this realization, there was a major shift within me. Instead of seeing my specific situation with drapes closed, I decided to allow the sun to shine through and provide me with hope and inspiration. When fear was disregarded, it was as though my whole world opened up and I felt this strong sense of peace within.

My trip to Whistler served as a stark reminder that hope must serve as a constant companion in one's life. All too often we readily allow the black cloak of fear to suck us in and prevent us from seeing the all the peaks we have the opportunity to climb in life.

 

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