Every year, I add a couple of new experiences to be tried during the year, to my to do list (or yearly bucket list). I prefer to set yearly goals because I find them easy to plan and execute. This year, I had three such experiences planned. I have been able to achieve all of them in the first seven months and would like to share them with my readers.

The first experience was to help my mother and aunt tick an experience on their bucket list. Both of them wanted to visit a particular residential yoga and ayurvedic treatment centre for a long time. They are ardent followers of the person running the centre. Since it’s a long and tedious journey for them (both in their 80s), they couldn’t plan the visit by themselves. I decided to accompany them. It was a trip of 10 days including travel and treatment. Neither the travel nor the treatment was easy for them. The treatment included massage, physiotherapy, acupuncture and so many other therapies, not to mention regular follow up visits with 2 different doctors. It felt like we were always on the move, going from one therapy centre to another on their large and beautiful campus. I could see that my mother and aunt were getting tired, but didn’t complain. They were undergoing the treatment with a smile on their face. They had a chance to meet the “person in charge” himself too, and a chance to be on national television, in conversation with him, which was completely unexpected. Just watching their happy expressions, listening to their conversations and watching them push themselves to participate in all activities and eat the diet food recommended for them was very inspiring to me. It was also nostalgic for me since I have travelled a lot with them in my younger days. Fulfilling their wish felt very fulfilling to me. It’s an experience, I would recommend everyone who gets a chance to try at least once, to know the true Joy of giving!

My second experience was attending a spiritual residential workshop which is physically and mentally tiring. Due to certain backache issues, I was advised by some well-wishers against attending it, but being mentally strong, I definitely wanted to try it. That experience was also going to help me understand if I was ready for my third experience. Hence, I attended the workshop. While I will not share the workshop experience as I am bound by confidentiality, I am happy to  share that I met some beautiful, loving women of different age groups and have made nine new friends. We had a lot to share; we laughed together and also shared moments of sitting in silence in each other’s company. All of us have a common interest in spirituality and are connected as souls rather than individuals. The bond we share shows that spirituality and friendship have no age barrier. The youngest member of our group is 23 and oldest is 60. Often one limits oneself from making new friends because of difference in age or gender. When there is common interest, understanding and total acceptance, friendships can flourish without age or gender barrier. 

The third and most recent experience was the most challenging and yet the most exciting. I am 59 years old and have always tried to make safe and comfortable choices for myself in life. This year, I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and face some fears. I always tell my clients that facing the fear is the only way of getting rid of it. It was time for me now to face some fears.

In the month of May, I decided to enrol myself on a Trek to the Valley of flowers. This trek also included a trek to Hemkund Sahib. It was a five day (including one rest day in between) “moderate level” trek of 38 kms. Valley of flowers is at an altitude of 11,550 ft and Hemkund Sahib is at 14,107 ft. In the next two months I tried my best to prepare well as per Indiahikes (the organization I had registered with) guidelines. On July 23rd, I set off on my first Trek. Many of the fellow trekkers in our group were experienced trekkers and some were first timers like me.

In the next 5 days, we pushed our physical and mental strength to trek to and from basecamp and to reach the 2 summits. On the day I returned from Valley of flowers, I was exhausted and felt like giving up on the second summit, which was after a day’s rest. I had a fall twice that day, once on the trek and once on the wet bathroom floor. That had left me with a severe back ache. I had some self-doubts about my physical strength. Little did I realise that it was my mental strength that was in need of a boost. I was not aware of the self-talk that I was having with myself. The self-talk was preparing myself to quit.

They say it is in difficult times that one bonds better. I experienced that on this trek. My fellow trekkers and trek leaders showed a lot of faith in my abilities. They had been observing me while trekking in the first 2 days and had no doubt about my ability to complete the trek. They motivated me, encouraged me and helped me see my potential. I regained my inner strength and had no doubts in myself when I woke up on the day of trek to Hemkund Sahib. It was quite a tough and tedious climb. But I tried to practice words of wisdom that I had heard from my experienced fellow trekkers in the previous two days. While one person had said “Endurance is his focus, not speed”, the other person said “I try to take in the beauty of nature and so I take my time while trekking”. The senior most person in our group was 76 years old, who had undergone an open-heart surgery just 5 months back. Observing him trek and being with him by itself was inspiring. When asked how he is able to trek, he said “one step at a time, one breath at a time”. From my trek buddies, I learnt that instead of focusing on speed, I should be enjoying the journey. As I started enjoying the journey, not worried about reaching the destination, I could reach Hemkund Sahib at my own pace. As I reached the top, I observed that I was breathing very comfortably. I had also crossed certain dangerously narrow paths. I had conquered my fear of altitude as well as fear of heights to some extent. I have returned home feeling a sense of achievement, fulfilment and a lot of happiness for having pushed myself out of the comfort zone. It has been a true test of mind over body.

With every goal (experience) that I achieve, I feel more confident and accomplished. Life feels like a celebration when I plan different experiences for myself to an otherwise monotonous routine. My life’s journey is becoming more and more interesting as I enjoy “one experience at a time”. The wise words of my senior fellow trekker will always guide me through life, “one step at a time, one breath at a time”.