{"id":2014,"date":"2024-10-25T06:37:21","date_gmt":"2024-10-25T06:37:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/?p=2014"},"modified":"2025-05-12T09:27:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T09:27:58","slug":"finding-strength-in-weakness-lessons-from-the-trek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/finding-strength-in-weakness-lessons-from-the-trek\/","title":{"rendered":"Step by Step: Finding Strength in Weakness on the Trails"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Five Himalayan Treks in Just 10.5 Months: A Journey of Growth and Resilience<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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When I lace up my trekking boots and step onto the trail, a mix of excitement and nervous energy fills me. Every trek has its own challenges, and by now, I\u2019ve done five treks in just over 10 months. You\u2019d think I\u2019d have it all figured out, but each time, I face the same uphill battles\u2014literally. Steep climbs at high altitudes? They humble me every single time. Add to that my inability to sleep on treks, and it\u2019s a perfect storm that leads to AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). Yet, somehow, I keep going back. Why? Because it\u2019s in these struggles that I\u2019ve found lessons I never expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Sleep Evades and AMS Lurks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On my most recent trek, sleep wasn\u2019t just a problem\u2014it was nonexistent. I clocked barely five hours over five days. Even paracetamol, which usually helps, didn\u2019t work this time. I knew what was coming. AMS isn\u2019t new to me, and having experienced its full force before, I\u2019ve learned to tackle it early. The summit day was surprisingly easier than I anticipated, thanks to precautions: extra fluids, sour candies, and controlled breathing. But the descent tested me in other ways\u2014a nagging headache, fatigue, and the relentless need to pee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For women hikers, finding a spot to relieve yourself isn\u2019t just inconvenient\u2014it\u2019s a whole trek within the trek. Drained and frustrated, I trudged into camp, headache intact, patience long gone. I went straight to our trek leader, Ankur Sir, desperate for answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat am I doing wrong, sir? Why does this keep happening to me?\u201d I blurted out, exhaustion and frustration spilling over. \u201cEveryone calls me an experienced trekker, but I\u2019m the only one struggling like this. Should I just stop trekking altogether?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sir listened patiently, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to my emotional outburst. When I jokingly asked him to pray for me to sleep, he said something that caught me off guard: \u201cI\u2019ve been praying for you every night.\u201d His quiet concern and unwavering support reminded me that while I was so focused on my struggles, the trek leaders were always watching, always caring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecting the Dots<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

That night, as I lay awake despite taking Combiflam, I started piecing things together. AMS trekkers are always on the radar\u2014both VIP and red alert. I thought back to previous treks where leaders seemed extra attentive, and I\u2019d assumed they were just good at their job. Turns out, they were genuinely worried about me. It was humbling and deeply touching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day, Sir asked how I was feeling. \u201cIt\u2019s more mental than physical today,\u201d I admitted. \u201cI\u2019m done fighting. I just want AMS to take over so I can go home, but I know what that means\u2014I\u2019d have to be carried down. I can\u2019t let that happen.\u201d He smiled, offered some encouragement, and reminded me to keep sipping water. So, I did. The endless cycle of drinking, peeing, and repeating was maddening, especially on that day\u2019s ledge walk. Finding a spot to pee was nearly impossible, but I kept moving, one sip at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding Beauty in the Struggle<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Somewhere along the way, I started chatting with fellow trekkers, and for a brief moment, I forgot my discomfort. That day turned out to be the most beautiful of the trek, with sweeping views that felt like nature\u2019s reward for enduring the hardships. Ironically, the summit itself was underwhelming, but the journey to get there? Unforgettable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During a descent along a narrow ridge, I let go of my inhibitions and ran. For most, it was a nerve-wracking section requiring careful steps, but for me, downhill is freedom. It\u2019s my zone. My legs feel strong, and my confidence soars. People were shocked, some worried, but I didn\u2019t care. It was my moment, and it felt like flying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lessons from the Trails<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

That trek taught me one thing loud and clear: patience in weakness is a superpower. In the mountains, there\u2019s no shortcut. You can\u2019t rush past your struggles or wish them away. You have to sit with them, move through them, and trust that your strength will find its time to shine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In life, too, it\u2019s tempting to avoid anything that highlights our weaknesses. We focus on our strengths, hide our flaws, and play it safe. But the truth is, our weaknesses make us human. They keep us grounded and teach us humility. They\u2019re not something to be ashamed of; they\u2019re something to learn from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, trekking is a constant reminder of this. My body isn\u2019t built for the mountains\u2014I deal with fibromyalgia, jaw dysfunction, sleep issues, and the ever-present AMS. Yet, I\u2019ve learned to respect my body for what it can<\/em> do. It takes longer for me to recover, and I have to work harder to climb, but when it\u2019s time to descend? Watch out. That\u2019s my strength, and I own it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Lifetime of Learning<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Looking back on my first trek, I remember how na\u00efve I was. By my second trek, I was overconfident, only to be knocked down by AMS. Each trek since has been a lesson in humility and preparation. I\u2019ve learned to anticipate challenges, prepare for the worst, and focus on what\u2019s within my control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This most recent trek wasn\u2019t perfect. I had a headache, an upset stomach, and AMS symptoms throughout. But I wasn\u2019t scared. I\u2019d planned for these possibilities, and when they came, I dealt with them. There were moments when I thought, \u201cThis might be with me the entire trek, but I feel amazing. My legs are strong, and my mind is stronger. I\u2019m going to finish this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moving Forward<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Trekking has humbled me and given me hope. Every trek is a chance to try again, to be better than before. It\u2019s not about being the strongest or the fastest; it\u2019s about showing up, acknowledging your weaknesses, and working through them with patience and determination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a world that craves instant results, trekking reminds me that good things\u2014strong legs, a resilient mind, and a life well-lived\u2014are built slowly, step by step. Weaknesses don\u2019t define us; how we respond to them does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, here\u2019s to the mountains, the lessons they teach, and the strength we find in the struggle. I\u2019ll keep trekking, one step at a time, and loving every imperfect, humbling moment of it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When I lace up my trekking boots and step onto the trail, a mix of excitement and nervous energy fills me. Every trek has its own challenges, and by now, I\u2019ve done five treks in just over 10 months. You\u2019d think I\u2019d have it all figured out, but each time, I face the same uphill […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","pgc_sgb_lightbox_settings":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52,98,48],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2014","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-learnings","7":"category-trekking-tales","8":"category-treks","9":"entry","10":"has-post-thumbnail"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"vasudha","author_link":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/author\/vasudha\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2014"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2014"}],"version-history":[{"count":49,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2014\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2156,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2014\/revisions\/2156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideaweb.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}