The designer that I mean here is the one who most of the time sitting at her work desk, staring at her computer screen, and simply say, she only moves her butt up when she goes for lunch, or restroom, or refill water in her cup at the pantry, or…yeah..when she needs to grab some file folders from the cabinet which is few steps away…ONLY.
She was not lazy nor any leg issues. She put herself just way too much into her works until she forgot everything around her. Her health, her time for friends, family, and others.
Until one day she saw one of her FB friend posted a hiking photo. She was impressed. It was so pretty! The view from the mountain was amazing. Then she started to think..
“I have never been to hiking before. How does it feel like to go hiking?”
And thinking of either to do it now or never, she went for her first hiking about 1.5 years ago with a group of strangers. Without any experience and training, only to the hiking guide she trusted herself.
When a Designer goes to the mountain, she learns hiking. Certainly. But, that’s only a very small piece of a lesson of it. She was in her early 30’s then and these the lessons she got from her first hiking trip.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. The Spirit of ‘Not to give up easily’
She may be smart, she may be hardworking. She may be a tough and quite independent lady but when she was on this hiking trip, she felt totally useless. She realized all the good factors mentioned earlier didn’t do any help at all. Her physic was weak. She may be firm in her workplace but in the wilderness, she was nothing. Se felt like want to die. It was so tiring.
The only thing that makes her keep going was the spirit of not giving up. She wanted to know how far she can go. She pushed her limit. She knew her limit was not that limited. She could push further. As a result, she could catch up with the rest of her friends although she was the last one to reach.
2. Stamina Can be Built
She almost forgot about what stamina was. She used to be pretty fit a few years back then when the work pressure was much lesser meaning she seldom vents her stresses to food. She ate happily and mind her diet well. She was also actively workout. Until the time when everything turned her life around. From one devastation to another devastation which came in a row and totally changed her life. She somehow just totally forgot all her good habits. She gained weight. She threw herself into her works and she didn’t bother to do any workout anymore. And the result can be clearly seen when she went for the hiking trip.
Breathless and gets tired so easily. That’s all she could feel. Her stamina was bad. Fortunately, supported by her point number one, everything didn’t turn out completely bad.
After back from her first hiking trip, she started to train herself up slowly. Then she noticed her stamina was improved and she did much better on her second hiking trip. Not only that, she feels that doing exercise regularly does help her more awake during the daytime and feel energized. Definitely, she feels fitter now although she is still far from what we call good shape. But she knows she is on the way.
Although in fact our stamina is not determined by our body size because the logic is the lighter our body means the less weight we carry. So, meaning we won’t be dragged down by our own body weight when we walk or hike. Remember, to walk with weight is more difficult than none ~
3. It Is Quiet Up On The Mountain
She remembered what her Pastor in the church told about when God called Moses to come to the Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai is about 3000 m above sea level high which is about as the same high as the mountain she was at. Moses was already 80 years old but God still asked him to come up so far for him to leave all behind and came up for Him. After Moses returned from the mountain, his face shone brightly. Bible said.
Now, she understands why God told Moses to do so. Why must be on the mountain? After being so fully occupied by her works for many years, messages and emails which keep coming in whenever she checked her emails. She suddenly felt so quiet and calm up there on the mountain. No network reception means no incoming calls, no emails to check. No laptop means no artworks to check or to amend. Nothing is there, absolutely nothing. Except herself and nature. No loud noises. Only sound of the winds blowing and the leaf.
She realizes how important it is to have a quiet time, to take a break totally from all things which make her burning out. Just to recharge. Although, she doesn’t mean that to find a quiet place has to go to the mountain. But maybe by staying away from our phone, computer or whatever for a day and get out and get back to nature – Go for a walk in the beach, cycle or just sit at the bench in the park and listen to the birds chirping – It might help to refresh our mind, body and soul, too.
4. It Is Tough but It Is Doable
She hikes for fun. Before she went for her first hiking trip, she was doubtful if she can make it. She didn’t realize she was actually had no confidence in herself. Yes, it is tough. Not easy. It is definitely tiring. But, hey..it’s still doable! Just that for a beginner like her, she may be slower than others. Her face may be looked uglier than others because she fights so hard to get out from her comfort zone while still stay on the track.
In the end, she feels the achievement. All her hard work seems paid-off by simply doing her best, going to the highest she could, embracing the moment and made her way back home safely. That is a kind of achievement which can only be understood by people who goes for hiking before and it feels good. She doesn’t regret it,
5. Hiking Makes Your Stronger, Not Masculine (for ladies only)
Often times, she noticed that many of her female friends avoid going for hiking or trekking trips was because they said it will make them looked more masculine. Obviously, for herself who doesn’t have a bikini body (yet), she would prefer to go hiking than laying down on the beach – the fact is she likes both. But she just wants to share her opinion that hiking or trekking doesn’t make us more masculine or more like a man. It makes us stronger instead. Again, you will still be a lady after all. Read again from point 1-4 if you still don’t get it.
From hiking, we are trained mentally and physically – Not to give up easily, train up to keep fit, recharge our mind and get that self-confidence. We are taken care inside out. Become more masculine or not is another issue which she thinks it is more into how we bring ourselves out in our daily life than purely from only one activity that we are involved in once in a blue moon.
As a beginner, she said that her endurance of the journey to reach the summit is much more important for her than to reach the summit itself. If she gets to the summit, that’s the bonus. And she also said that if she who is not a really fit type can do it, then for them who are in the same condition or fitter than her, shouldn’t be drawn back to give hiking a shot if they have not tried it yet. Who knows it might turn out that they will like it much like she does, too.
Have you learnt something from your hiking trip so far? If you have never been to one, would you give it a try?
By the way, I am giving away 2 waterproof mobile pouches! 🙂
GIVEAWAYS – WATERPROOF MOBILE POUCH
To be one of the winners, leave your answer of the below question in the comment. 🙂
What is the full name of the Designer mentioned in the post above? 😉
That’s it. Giveaway ends on 15 July 2015. I will announce the 2 lucky winners by 19 July 2015. Have fun! 🙂
