The Kilimanjaro Journey: An Opportunitiy to Explore the Inner Self – PART 1

There can be no doubt, that the quality of life for any individual is a prerequisite for positive change to take place as we travel through our sometimes complex and ever changing life’s journey. Many of us experience a less than perfect childhood development not least as a result of our own parents living their lives with their own barriers, issues and distractions as they too ravel through their own journey of life.

We may experience being told to try harder at school, or to hurry up and get things done, or to do things differently to the way we may feel things should be done, after all, we are constantly told in childhood that ‘adults know best’! All these things coupled with the ‘normal’ throes of having to develop and grow through childhood, adolescence and then into the wide market place where so many of us become bogged down in a rut through no fault of our own, adds to the possibility of individuals suffering issues and barriers which impinge and infiltrate our developing psyche which controls who we are, what we are but just as importantly, how others view us.

As we journey the chaotic, ever changing road of life, sometimes, just sometimes, opportunities come along which allow us to explore this inner self, this psyche which determines and influences who we are and what we are, giving us unique opportunities to think about making changes to our behavior, psyche or life styles. In addition, such opportunities give us chances to come to terms with what we have recently or currently experienced within our lives and which have had some positive or negative impact on our one and only life’s journey.

For me it is the chance to address several ‘dreams I have had for decades - to visit the continent of Africa, to climb or attempt to climb its highest mountain and to make an impact on someone else’s life journey. This opportunity has presented itself in the shape of this charity climb with Power To Be.

I have thought long and hard about how I can prepare myself for this challenge, which whilst I see and accept may well be a physical one, will undoubtedly be an emotional one as well given the fact that it is the first mountaineering expedition I have done since the sudden and unexpected death of my soul mate, best friend, wife and business partner. Coping with grief and living with a major hole in ones life can sometimes be the final straw that does ‘break the camel’s back’ but I have convinced myself that I can and will cope with it unconditionally.

It is this human resolve that we all have, both you and me, that drives us on to overcome those issues and barriers that present themselves to us along our life’s journey. When you feel that the challenge is too big or too demanding of you, remember your darkest hour, that time when you felt that life had nothing positive to give you or that whatever you did would end in failure and think about those whose problems and issues leave your own issues and barriers standing still in a race to find a place on the chart of pain, hurt and hopelessness. Remember your resolve when you overcame something that to you was huge but to others may be insignificant and remember that inside us all lies our inner self that can rise above physical pain and hurt just because it is inside of ourselves and not vulnerable to the outside world, only if we allow it to.

Getting to the top of Kilimanjaro is of course a target, the aim of the charity event, but it is also a unique opportunity to allow yourself to be the real you not the one who hides behind a facade irrespective of whether it is a professional facade which you need to get through your working day, or a personal facade which you need to cope with the interpersonal relationships that sometimes tie us in emotional knots or a personality facade that you hide behind because you cannot be or are not allowed to be the real you.

-Frank Grant