How Mountain Climbing Can Improve Your Life

A climb up a mountain is challenging, but it can also be a lot of fun. A sense of achievement can rise with every step you take towards the peak, but this is not the only benefit it offers.

When you embark on a journey up a mountain, you’re doing more than just getting in touch with nature. Your physical health is improving, and more importantly, you are taught life-changing lessons that could be the very key to unlocking your full potential and achieving victory in your everyday battles.

So if you have a thing for the great outdoors, mountain climbing might just be the best adventure for you. It is one of the most exhilarating ways to spend some time out in nature, and it combines both physical and mental challenges.

Now what can this do for you in terms of surviving through the daily grind, you ask? Here are some life lessons mountain climbing can teach you.

Life is about patience, perseverance, and gratitude.

Climbing a mountain is probably one of the hardest activities there is. Not only are you exposed to the possibility of reaching the limits of your physical capabilities, but you are also bound to be  exhausted mentally. The fear that at any time, you could reach the peak and fall also forces you to search for ways to pass through each obstacle while maintaining your position and get to your destination without having to climb the same path over and over.

You are going to climb for hours, maybe for two or three. This activity takes hard work with little reward. In fact, you may not even realize that you have made any real progress until hours after you start climbing. 

This is a situation that we are always faced with in life. With the inevitable uncertainty of the future, we never know what will happen the next day or even in the next couple of hours, but that doesn’t stop us from persevering and working hard to get to where we want to be. Climbing a mountain teaches you to be patient and helps you realize that all good things take time.

In the end, every step, every wound, every tear you’ve shed to get to the top will make your climb worth it, because you can finally say that you’ve survived and you’ve conquered every challenge that was thrown your way. 

It pays to enjoy the small luxuries in life.

When you’ve endured a grueling six hours of vertical climb in the heat and you stop for a water break, that drink will probably taste like the best you’ve ever had. This reflects how we often overlook the little things in life and take them for granted. We fail to appreciate the small blessings and how they have nurtured us into who we are today. 

When you reach the peak and you realize you forgot to bring an extra coat, you start to feel cold and only then will you learn to be grateful for something as trivial as a piece of clothing. Because of this, you are more inclined to make thorough preparations before you set out for your next climb.

Not everyone is granted the luxury of having a soft bed to sleep on at night or being able to eat thrice a day. Most of us think that these things are not even that grand, but we forget that there are a lot of people out there who do not have a bed and spend their nights on the streets and have to scavenge for food just to get by. 

With mountain climbing, you learn to find joy in the small things and it teaches you to stop taking for granted the commodities that you have easy access to. 

Your successes, no matter how small, deserve to be celebrated.

When mountaineers reach the top, they take some time to revel in their success. They take a good look at the view and take in the breathtaking surroundings, something they wouldn’t have seen had they given up. 

This is something we can apply in all the other aspects in our lives. One should not hesitate to revel in small accomplishments. What you went through to achieve them may not have been as arduous as climbing a mountain, but these little successes deserve even a tiny bit of celebration. 

Also, don’t make the mistake of comparing your success to that of others. If you have gotten through a particularly tough patch, go a little easy on yourself. A little celebratory break is sometimes all we need to spur ourselves for the next step. So one shouldn’t forget to celebrate their successes; otherwise, you will end up feeling taken for granted and unsatisfied. 

We all deserve some recognition for the hard work we have done, and recognizing this through celebrations is a good way for you to feel that sense of accomplishment. Celebrating with friends and everyone close to your heart is a good way to share these successes with others, and it makes the celebration all the more special because you get to spend time with people that you value. You can also take this time to thank those who have helped you achieve this triumph. 

Overcoming fears is what makes success.

Mountaineering is not a safe and comforting adventure. The steep cliffs, forbidding peaks, and the deadly cold are just a few of the dangers mountaineers have to face. You are putting your life on the line, and the dangers of falling are always present.

However, once you’ve overcome these obstacles, the rewards are immense and satisfying. Standing on a mountain peak is like standing on the top of the world. 

One would do well to remember this lesson in their everyday life. There will be times when you are confronted with changes or challenges that are too scary to even consider, but just like what they always say, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.

So don’t be afraid to take risks and conquer your fears. Experiencing the best in life requires getting out of your comfort zone and trying out new things. These are the moments when we might just discover that we are meant for greater things. And when you’ve finally conquered the fear of change or whatever it is that scares you, the sense of accomplishment is all the more satisfying and fulfilling.

Takeaway

Turning your life upside down and inside out is something none of us is ever prepared for. But that's exactly what we are doing when we climb mountains and go to the extreme limits of our bodies' athletic ability. 

The unfamiliar surroundings, elevation changes, intense physical activity, and other things that we will never experience firsthand unless we get off our seat can be experienced in a very real way when climbing a mountain.

Mountain climbing teaches us a great number of ways to improve how we deal with everyday life. But the very most important thing it teaches us is to be prepared for whatever life throws at us. 

Being well prepared for a mountain climb is something you need to successfully reach the top. It entails having the right mindset and the right gear. 

The fēnix 7X Sapphire Solar is a smartwatch that best fits your next climb to the peak of a mountain. With it, you get stronger and more prepared for anything. So take on any challenge with the rugged fēnix 7X Sapphire Solar multisport GPS watch! It is styled for smaller-sized wrists and made with scratch-resistant Power Sapphire™ solar-charging lens that uses the sun’s energy to extend battery life, powering advanced training features, sports apps, health and wellness monitoring sensors, and more.

Don’t leave behind your adventures. Go longer, get stronger, seven days a week with Garmin!