Discovering Life Lessons in the Grand Canyon

Fear is a manifestation of our own thoughts.

Experiencing fear manifest from my own thoughts in real time was an eerie sensation as I placed one foot in front of the other. Suddenly, the realization that the next step could lead to a fall would paralyze my foot midair. I relied on my breath and positive self-talk to calm my nervous system and push through the fear. Having descended this far, I knew I could continue and refused to subscribe to self-limiting beliefs like "I’m not a hiker" or "This is too scary." This mindset transcends beyond hiking. Self-belief lays as the foundation for any accomplishment.

The corporate world is a stimulated fight and flight experience.

In my workplace, there's always a metaphorical "fire" that someone is handling. This comparison suggests that the urgency of our corporate tasks is as vital as dealing with an actual fire, creating a constant state of tension. While these situations may be presented as urgent or even life-or-death, the reality is far from it. Standing on the edge of a cliff, contemplating the potential consequences of a misstep, provided a stark contrast, highlighting the true gravity of life-or-death situations and offering an oddly reassuring perspective that the challenges of the corporate world are not the end of the world.

Cold air is a powerful tool to quiet the mind.

Hiking the Grand Canyon in 38 degrees Fahrenheit, there's little else on your mind but staying warm and avoiding the cliff's edge! Usually, it's easy to overlook the air around you, but the cold shock to your nervous system forces you to acknowledge its presence and make you feel alive and fully awake.