On a hike with my family in Austria last year we stood out on a cantilever and had our picture taken. Under the platform air and a few trees were the only things separating us from hundreds of meters of altitude. Whilst we trodded the path back down to town, my calmness and surefooted movements put my daughter to sleep.

From the title of this article you can gather it wasn’t always like that.

I was reminded of the 5 times I have almost fallen off a mountain and how far I have come. Yes you read that correctly- 5 times. If I hadn’t gotten better at navigating heights in the end, you might think I would just be a little bit crazy and an adrenaline junkie. However a good mix of stubbornness, self awareness and resilience got me to keep trying and getting better at it – And I still love the mountains.

Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results – does not apply here. With every near miss I learned just a little bit and applied the learnings. As a trained Positive Intelligence Coach, I recognize now that these crazy incidents were not just mishaps and mistakes but in retrospect opportunities for me to reframe and continuously learn how to be choose to respond positively in the face of challenge and change – my favorite definition of resilience.

So how can someone almost fall off a mountain 5 times? Here we go:

1. I was 12 years old on a guided hike in Colorado. The guides misjudged the route or we took a wrong turn. Suddenly I was at the bottom of a rock face with no equipment, climbing training or upper body strength. As my foot slipped, the guide’s hand on my boot was the only thing that kept me from tumbling hundreds of meters.
2. Colorado again, I was 22 and on honeymoon with my abusive first husband who had untreated bipolar disease. With pressure from that relationship permeating my body, mind and soul I did not look far enough ahead and adjust the speed of the car to the gravel road. We flipped the car and landed just over a meter from the edge of a drop off. I lived to tell the tale and needless to say it was a bad omen for the marriage.
3. Schladming, Austria. I was 23 and only the second time in my life on skis and again no training. My first husband, aka he who shall not be named – and who was born with skis on – coerced me into the Gold World Cup slope and final run. Epically bad decision. My snow plow did NOT withstand the sheer ice from the watering, snow cannons and shade of the north face. After sliding 200 m down the ice and a full yard sale, a kind German lady collected my gear and let me hug-ski my way down with her as I watched Voldemort (who did not bother to wait and help me) pretend to ignore the situation and pack the car.
4. Bad Ischl – I was 24 and on a snowshoe hike with Voldemort. We misjudged the lack of snow in the area. My snowshoe caught the root of a tree and I stumbled, catching another root to prevent myself from falling the rest of the way down the mountain. That was the last experience with black magic.
5. Arlberg – I was 33, a little older and wiser, applied a lot of the learnings from the previous near misses. Voldemort was out of the picture, I had risen like the Phoenix and my outlook on life was much more positive. My lovely now husband and I were hiking with a ski tour guide in the fresh snow. I didn’t bring my skins for the route and didn’t question if they were needed. We took a shortcut across some rocks and my boot started to slip on the rocks. Again the hand of the guide was the threshold between me and a snowy tumble a few hundred meters downwards.

Resilience is the ability to reframe and respond positively & resourcefully in the face of change and challenge. It is about overcoming challenges and converting them into gifts – either of knowledge, power or inspiration. What are the gifts of these wild adventures? Here some explanations and my takeaways.

Gift of Knowledge: even with epic mishaps, there is always something to learn. Think Nelson Mandela: “I either succeed or I learn.” Ask yourself – even if this next challenge goes complete sideways – what will I learn that will serve me and those who matter in the future?

1. Take stock of the equipment and resources needed for a snag in the road. When have you overcome massive challenge and change? What tools, people, resources surround you to help you navigate this time?
2. Study the path and conditions and build an adaptable strategy for yourself. Sometimes the shortcut ends up actually being the long way.
3. Surround myself with people that care and support my wellbeing and adventure – no Voldemorts.
4. Get a guide that knows the way into something unknown for you and can teach you a thing about the mountains – you don’t need to be so stoic, heroic, alone and it doesn’t need to be so hard. And discover the real hidden treasure paths.

Gift of Power: every challenge or seeming misfortune is the ability to grow something in yourself or gain the power to make a change in your environment. Think of Master Yoda and how jedis build their powers of the force.

I became the adult I always needed, making better judgments about upcoming challenges and being kinder to myself.  I’ve built more confidence in my resources, resilience in difficult situations. Setbacks are inevitable. It’s all about cultivating our ability for self–compassion and bouncing back.

Gift of Inspiration: you’re inspired to do something so others in a similar challenging situation can benefit from it. Think Christopher Reeve. He was dealt an awful hand becoming a quadriplegic but that did not stop him from changing the game in science for others with neurological disease and injury.

I’ve overcome and learned a lot in my life and am inspired to climb better and help others overcome formidable challenges as well. I came to love the feeling of insignificance in the backdrop of ragged peaks and the wisdom that meets me there. I am inspired to share this perspective and strength with others.

2+ years of a pandemic have been strange, tiring, lonely and interesting at the same time.  World stage challenges, climate crises and personal challenges will continue to arise. Maybe you’re recovering well-being and balance now. Maybe you’re seeking something better in your career. Maybe you’re ready for more exploration and freedom.

Let’s reap the gifts for our next mountain to climb and continue this learning adventure together.

Further Resources on the 6 factors of Resilience:

https://www.talenttools.com.au/blog/learn-the-six-predictors-of-resilience