Sometimes You've Got to Walk Out of the Tent

Dang that looks cold and snowy! :)

Sometimes you’ve got to walk out of the tent.

I was 20 years old on an Outward Bound course with the aim of turning my life around. We were in Chile, mountaineering on the side of an active volcano. For real - lava leaping up and spitting out of the inside of the mountain. Incredible.

It was a major snowstorm day. Our group were all young adults 18 - 22 with no mountaineering experience. We were skilled in backpacking by this point, but had never roped up to climb a mountain with crampons in a white out blizzard.

The primary leader of our trip was calling the day’s summit bid. He said it was too dangerous. Some of us were relieved, some were disappointed. I was somewhere in the middle.

Then one of our co-guides who had more experience mountaineering in that particular area said, “No we can do this, let’s go for it.”. Our primary guide relented. And the co-guide, Ted - asked our group “Who wants to go?” So we each had to decide for ourselves if we wanted to leave the warm comfort of our North Face tents, leave behind our hot mugs of cocoa, and gear up to face the elements and make an attempt to summit this snow storm mountain. We all had to look inside. I looked at Ted who held the door open with his snow crusted smile and some dreadlocks hanging out.

“Ok, I’m in” - I said. I decided to go. I suited up and prepared myself for whatever might come. Essentially I put myself in Ted’s hands, and in nature’s hands.

We geared up and got our group ready to roll. Then, as we started the hike - it became clear even to Ted that this was not a safe day to make the summit. Despite our renewed effort and determination, this would not be a good call. So we did have to turn around. We did not make the summit that day.

However for those of us who decided to go, we knew that we had made that decision. We knew that we had turned toward resistance and said “fuck you” and decided to risk for the sense of adventure, for the experience, and for our own character building.

I’m glad I made that decision. I have continued to make that kind of decision over the course of my life. Of course, sometimes it is a hot cocoa day and good lord do I love hot cocoa day, warm in the comforts of my home with family. And, at the same time, when the timing is right - we need to make sure that we Walk Out of the Tent. Step out of safety into the elements, into risk, and discover who we are.

This is my invitation to you for my 1-year course called Year of Thriving - https://campbellgerrish.com/programs.

Step out of the tent. Discover who you are. Feel the wind on your face. And dig the snow crusty beard. :)

You can reach me here for a free consultation: https://calendly.com/campbell-gerrish

I look forward to speaking with you soon!

Best,

Campbell