by Amber Ellis Johnson
Here is an analogy I like, despite it's overuse:
The Mountain Path
Our Logo is a large and intimidating mountain range, golden and sparkling in the first illuminated rays of the sunrise. The summit is dazzling, calling us to experience the perspective we’d get from that viewpoint if we are game to begin the awesome journey toward achieving it. We want to, if only we can overcome fear and doubt and begin.
New projects, creative and productive, are similar to deciding to begin the big mountain ascent. It’s a useful analogy for the stages one goes through to do something truly life changing, how it feels to push through hard moments, to accept that they feel hard right now but won’t always feel that way, and NOT give up and return to the very beginning, perhaps swearing off journeys like this forever. Perhaps thinking you are incapable; that you don’t have what it takes. That you weren’t born to achieve something like this. It's genetic. It's that you are too busy caring for others, working, volunteering, etc... ad infinitum.
But actually, the reality is very simple: the more steps you take along the path, the further you get, the closer you get to the summit. It doesn’t matter how long it takes or how many obstacles you encounter. You cannot compare your journey to another persons journey. Everyone experiences it differently, but the path is usually the same.
There will be hard moments, there will be discomfort, exhaustion, it will feel like "a lot" at times, You will lose track or not be able to see the signs clearly. Despite how you feel, you are moving forward up the path, and as long as you don’t give up and turn back when it feels hard, as long as you use the tools and strategies guides offer you (and these are almost infinite) to keep momentum, to keep morale high, to troubleshoot, to rest and recharge when need-be, to refuel, to observe and reflect on the joy and wisdom that comes from the journey, you will arrive. You will.
Climbing a mountain with an experienced guide who can help you notice signs, read the trail blazes and let you know what to expect, and what tools you can try to get through the uncomfortable or challenging parts is helpful. It can make all the difference for you in whether you give up and turn around or push ahead. They can help calm fear of the unknown and assure you that what you are doing is right, good, and progressive. That is what we are here for, to help you succeed.
You will make it first to an overlook, a peek from mid climb upon the outer world below. You will gain perspective here, realize just how far you’ve already come. You will be able to notice the beauty from your height and see that even though you had been in the thick of the woods and unable to see your progress, you were indeed making significant progress moving forward, moving upward. It is motivating! It is reinvigorating. I must say that most people tend to give up on themselves before they reach this first perspective point. Often, they quit the project just before they would have a wider view! Guides can help you see how close you are, remind you of your growth.
Our logo of reaching the summit of a massive mountain is apt for these reasons. We are guides, merely, walking alongside you as you embark on a personal journey. Everyone experiences it differently, but the path is usually the same. And as long as you don’t stop, you will summit. And be glad the rest of your life that you did.
Love, Amber
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