Usually when I talk about the program and use the word “Reset” people become silent wanting to know more. Everyone I have spoke with knows what they want to reset. Often followed with “How are you going to reset years of my life?” It is a great question. What I can say is this program is an experience. Getting out of our heads, out of our normal world and the comforts and routine of our daily life for a month. Allow what is inside to surface, to reveal itself for an honest reflection of what is happening.

The wisest words ever spoken around life for me are Alberta Einsteins;
“You can’t solve a problem from the same perspective you created it in.”

There are 3 main areas to consider in this reset. There are definitely more, but for the purposes of this post the key ones are;

Reset your Physical
Reset your Mental
Revitalize Spirituality

What is a physical reset?

Most people I speak to consider the physical reset of this trip first. Wondering how hard this trip is or whether they can do it.

This is a chance to get some serious exercise. I like to say, you don’t need to come on this trip super fit, but you will likely leave that way. This is steady long walk. To be able to take this on, I recommend you should be able to walk 20 km in a day with a 25 pound pack before you arrive. It is difficult and possible. You move at your own pace. Some people are great at listening to their body, some have lost practice. Listening to your body is important, being honest with yourself is even more important. Deconstructing pre-conceived notions of what we are and are not capable of are all part of a reset. Witnessing weakness in your body become strong again is an incredible confidence creator.

On average we walk about 25 km a day. The first days are the hardest, not because they are steep or long, but because we have a lot of change to deal with. Our bodies adjusting to different weather, sounds, smells, new foods and exercise. There are minor stresses we will manage everyday. On their own they aren’t much, but combined they utilize energy. Each new experience becomes part of our journey. As we walk, physical challenge brings up our mental challenges. Its kind of like if we had rocks in our pack; “geeze this pack feels heavy”, we open up our pack and find the rocks and dump them on the ground, mental challenges show up that way.

Oh ya, I should mention, the Nepalese don’t understand the concept of switch backs or gradual slopes. This means the vertical is often a greater challenge than distance. Our path is ancient; following old trading paths that have been used for thousands of years. Often long staircases hand built and maintained by the Sherpa people for generations. For me there is a sense of the millions of the footsteps that have stepped on each stone before me. Up until the last decade, walking was the only mode of transport here, still the most common. Every step, I contemplate the climbers, sherpas, porters, monks, fathers, mothers, children burrows and yaks who have walked these paths living their lives for thousands of years.

One of the celebrations of my reset is I typically plan to do something athletic that I love immediately upon returning home. After a trip in 2001 I found an ice time to play hockey. I skated 60 minutes without a break and never lost my breath, skated everyone into the ground. Being acclimatized to 5600m is really unfair to friends who haven’t walked hundreds of kilometres through the Himalayas. I make no apologies, what a feeling, walking up stairs at home feels like flying. The acclimatization wears off after a week or so, I revel and celebrate in it while I feel this good. Clear lungs, healthy heart, weight loss and leg strength remains even after the acclimatization wears off, as long as you work to keep it. This is your chance to use your reset to propel you to your next thing. If you go back to your old ways, you will resume old health. If you use this reset, it is the beginning of something.

Mental Reset

Mental reset means something different to everyone. I am not sure I can really capture in words what it means for each individual. Sometimes it is getting out of a rut, out of a routine. Most often it is about dealing with a significant life change; divorce, retirement, selling a business, over worked. One person I worked with said to me “I can run a business and make money, make a million dollars is easy, that is my skillset, but this personal development thing is tough for me, it is not my skillset. If it was, I would already have done my work. I am grateful this is your skillset”

Connect to purpose, or reconnecting with purpose depending where you are at, might be your mental reset. What is next in life for you? What would you like to achieve? Who is it that you want to be? How do you want to live? What is the impact you want to make with your life?

Together you and your coach are going to clear out the cobwebs of limiting beliefs, old patterns and stuff that just isn’t moving you where you want to go anymore. This experience is going to replace these with new perspectives, fresh ideas, real interests and motivated actions.

Everything is different, language, food, where you sleep, how much exercise you are getting, humbled by the strength, beauty and resilience of the local people, our experience forces new perspectives. What will you do with these new perspectives? We will hold space for you to work through your big questions from a perspective you have never had. I am going to support and challenge you to clarify and capture your realizations and support your new realities.

It doesn’t matter what each of us brings, this is a chance to experience your life through a fresh clear lens, invigorated by fresh air and challenge. If I knew of a more effective way than trekking in the Himalayas to really connect with ones self, I would stop offering this program and start running that one. This is a crazy special experience. I have no words to express it.

Spirituality

Whatever your idea of spirituality is, this experience promises to take you deeper into it. Nepal is a spiritual place. Every religion is practiced in here. Predominately Hinduism and Buddhist, in Nepal these two are intertwined unlike anywhere else. The great thing about these religions is they are about taking you deeper into you. You don’t have to believe any religion, god or person to benefit from ancient wisdom.

Living in nature, working hard physically, mental clarity raises connection. I believe the best connection to our spirituality or a higher power is through nature. I personally have had the biggest epiphanies of my life in these mountains. These mountains have been the destination for soul seekers trying to find themselves for generations. Meeting people like this is what gave me the idea to provide this program in the first place. This is an opportunity to have an honest look at your own connection in a place where no one will judge your beliefs or impose their own on you. They will be interesting in share in the journey with you and supporting you to strengthen your connection.

Bringing it home: Sustainability.

“It is easy to become a wise man on the side of a mountain” an old mentor of mine once said to me. “taking that wisdom home and make it part of your life is the real challenge”.

Whatever your experience, whatever resets, whatever you decide to refocus your life, you will be supported. The last few days of the trip we will head into the lush warm places of Nepal. Where food comes fresh out of the garden. Jungle hikes, whitewater or mountain biking through the countryside. The pace is more relaxed, to let settle the realizations of the trek.

When you arrive home, you will be operating on a different frequency. I will be supporting you to bring your wisdom back down from the mountain and incorporate it in your home life.

For me; I provide this trip because bringing this to you is my life purpose. Wrap up wilderness adventure travel, add a splash of exotic culture and combine it with coaching … this is my favourite thing to do.

I hope you join, even if you cannot, please drop me a note and let me know your thoughts. You are reading to this point for a reason, as am I writing to this point for a reason, in that we are now connected. Don’t waste it, say hello.

- Steve

Focus areas of the Reset Program

Organizational Reflection