AT Happiness: Looking Back

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by someone what was the most profound thing I have learned on the trail? My reply was that the most profound thought was not born on the trail, but was really driven home to me climbing mountains in Georgia.

The idea is a simple one, we don’t spend enough time looking behind us.

I know, I know, you have been told a hundred times to not look back, the past is the past.  However that is not the lesson in its entirety. What you should take from that advice is to not dwell on the past and keep moving forward.

While moving forward we often get fixated on our goals. When climbing a mountain you can get completely locked in on the summit.  Then, when you get a false summit it can truly crush your spirit.

What you need to do occasionally is to stop, breathe and look back down the hill. Instead of fixating on what you still have to accomplish, take a moment to realize what you have already done. Congratulate yourself and take strength from the realization that given how much you’ve already climbed, what you have left is absolutely doable.

You can do it my friends, you can climb that mountain, you can achieve your goals. Of course you can, look at how far you’ve climbed already and have a happy day my friends.  – Rev Kane