Hello trekkers, 

I am Caroline Leon, a mountaineer, a transpersonal psychologist and many many other things. I have climbed many mountains in my life, some of which were beautiful, some kicked my butt, while others were a bit easier. All of them taught me something about myself and nature. 

I have realised that there is nothing that happens quickly in the mountains, and rushing only makes things harder for you. The mountains do not care about your experience, the car you drive or how much money you have. They ask only for your presence and respect. 

After climbing a lot of mountains, I learned many beautiful lessons, here is a little taste of some of what I have learnt from the mountains.

Mountains Taught Me Patience

Everything happens at its own pace in the mountains. Things take time. The climb is slow, and the path is never easy. Sometimes the weather changes, and you have to stop and wait. No matter how ready you feel, the mountain decides the pace. Sometimes, like on Mt Denali – we waited 5 days in the tent – whilst a storm raged outside. On Peak Lenin, the storm raged longer and we all descended the mountain waiting for a better weather window.  Days and days waiting. But over the years I’ve come to appreciate the time, being able to read books – and write in my journal and sometimes watch a full series on my phone. Sometimes I just lay there listening to the wind or the rain falling on the tent. And to be honest the escape from the hustle and bustle of a busy schedule and city life is so beautiful. It’s almost freezing. Over the years I have mastered the art of doing NOTHING, of  slowing down, and having faith in the process. Trusting the timing of life and how everything unravels – always at its own pace and always perfect. When I come back to the real world, a busy day, a crazy schedule, to traffic and the city noise, I remember those quiet moments in a tent doing nothing. It’s a beautiful thing… that is present in every part of my life. Just learning to lean back and trust the process. 

I Learned Strength in the Mountains

Seriously …. To climb mountains you need to be strong, not just physically although that’s a really big thing. But you also need to be mentally really strong too. Because trust me, if you’re not mentally and physically strong, the mountains will make you…. And that path isn’t easy. The mountains will test your strength, they will test your  body and they will test your mind. I know this because the mountains tested me in all these ways too. They tested my will, and my , my body and my mind in every conceivable way. Sometimes my body felt tired, sometimes my heart felt sore and lonely, and sometimes my mind replayed silly things I never thought I would do. The cold and the long climbs pushed me to my limits. There were moments when I wanted to stop. But I never did, I never gave up, I just kept walking, kept putting one foot in front of the other, I just kept walking. With each step I grew stronger and stronger and stronger in every imaginable way.  The mountains taught me that strength is not only physical. It is also mental. And over time, I learned how strong I really am. 

Humility Is the Best Thing Mountains Taught Me

The best thing mountains have taught me is humility. When I stood in the enormous valley of Everest, with the towering Lhotse face in front of me, I saw and felt how small, and insignificant   I really am. No matter how strong or prepared I feel, nature is always in control. And that makes you act with reverence and respect rather than ego. 

These very simple but profound lessons from the mountains have stayed with me, season after season. They have made me kind, patient, strong and humble. They have broken me and also built me. No matter where I am, the lessons from the mountains travel with me, even when I am far from the snow and rocks.

Conclusion

For many years, I have learned from the mountains. In a manner that no classroom could replicate, they instilled in me patience, strength, and humility. The mountains taught me that life is not about rushing, but rather about feeling what’s right for you and then going for it with everything that you have. They taught me that true strength is an inner quality, and that humility helps you stay true to yourself and to remain true to that at all times.

Every time I leave the mountains, I carry these lessons with me, and they help me in every life, in hard moments, and in quiet moments too. 

I hope that the mountains can teach you too. 

So If you are a novice eager to learn from the mountains, and you seek a trustworthy mountaineering company in the UAE, reach out to Summit Expeditions for an extraordinary mountain experience. 

Xx

Caroline