The whole world seems as though it’s currently being tossed around like a pile of wet jeans on the heavy-duty setting in a commercial dryer. We haven’t even exited the second month of the year, and the general sentiment from the population is that life is rough at the moment, and there are so many things at stake. Everything from the economy, the environment, and the recent and upcoming political elections around the globe have put the majority of people on edge, but there are specs of good news, like the academic discoveries that help us better understand who we are and how humanity has come to be, and the millions of teachers, healers, and kind people who take a moment to do something of good some time throughout their day.

This past week, I have been dealing with Covid on top of a very busy schedule. I’m exhausted, but things still need to get done. I have forgone hiking for the moment, and because of this, my spirits haven’t been the highest. However, I am writing this to remind myself that this rough patch will pass and that shifting my mindset and adjusting my perspective will help me get through this period of life.

Friends and shifting to a positive mindset are the only reasons why I have gotten this far in life. When the going has gotten far beyond tough, the universe has always spawned good people into my life to keep me on the path and remind me that it’s all about perception.

Before climbing Mount Whitney from Whitney Portal, a group of female marines would step on the trail the moment I did and would invite me to hike the first quarter of the trail in the dark. I was terrified of hiking alone, and all I could think about were the reports of a bear that had ransacked someone’s camp a day prior. Later in the day, I ran into another group of experienced hikers that would appear the moment I thought I was going off trail in the rockiest sections towards the top.

On San Bernardino peak, when the world suddenly appeared to be frozen over, someone would pop up every single time I thought about turning back and giving up. I made the mistake of forgetting my larger outer coat the first ever and only time during that hike and I could feel every molecule of wind that swept by in the center of my bones. However, whenever I thought I had enough, I would see a guy running by in shorts or a pair of people slowly trudging through the snow, all bundled up but foraging ahead.

I also have a beautiful group of trustworthy hiking friends who have been with me on so many amazing hiking and backpacking trips. I’m also always meeting more friends who encourage me along the way. These people have always pushed me to go a step further and reach goals that were even farther.

When everything seems to go wrong on an adventure, and I’m completely ready to give up, all it takes is one smile, a few encouraging words, or a reminder from myself that all this will pass. As long as I am still alive, I have the opportunity to change the perception of my situation and continue moving forward.