If you want it badly enough ....

At 9.20am on the 4th September I stood on the summit of Stok Kangri in India, at 6,153m or 20,187 feet high. The summit night meant an 8hr steep hike and scramble ascent with a 5hr descent down the same route. The last 500m to the summit was the hardest thing I've done in a long time as the route was so steep and the air was so thin and limited, but I remember feeling like I really wanted that summit. It had been 4 years since I was last in the mountains and I've changed a lot since then, so I wasn't sure if I could still even do this high altitude 'thing' anymore. So this expedition was a test on my mental and physical capability and the desire for what I used to love to do year in and year out.

What did I learn after this 2 week test then? I learnt that if you want something bad enough then you can have it. I could've turned back numerous times but I kept going cos I wanted it and I wanted it bad. I also learnt that things are typically 80-90% mind over matter as we've been told over and over in our lives. My body was tired, my limbs were aching from the previous multiple days of hard hiking, but with my mind telling my legs to keep moving, they did just that; all the way to the summit and back. I also learnt that good supportive people exist as the new friends I found on the mountain were the best group of people I've ever climbed with, and the people back home rooting for me really had my back.

Back to reality and things haven't changed much. It was my first wedding anniversary at the weekend which was so special and happy and I appreciate my husband and his support every day. But other than that life must carry on as normal, but with a gentle reminder from me to everyone that needs it which is: "If you want something bad enough, then go after it." It really is as simple as that.