Photo Credit: Bid Francisque, Citadelle, Milot, May 2010
“Dèyè mòn gen mòn” is a Haitian proverb which means “beyond mountains are more mountains”. It is a very fitting proverb from the land of mountains (Haiti), known as the most mountainous country of the Caribbean. Mountains are spectacular! According to a National Geographic documentary (2020), mountains are one of the most hostile environments on our planet. In the mountains only the toughest can endure the extreme weather conditions, intense competition, and limited resources. I am from the land of mountains, there is a lot to learn from them and this post is about four of the many lessons we can learn from mountains.
Patience to take life one day at a time
Climbing a mountain is not easy, just like reaching some life goals. For example, did you set goals (new year resolutions) for this year? Health, family, fitness, finance, spirituality, setting healthy boundaries… We are in September 2021, it is not too late to take action on the goals you set for yourself. Do it one day at a time. It may take multiple attempts, if at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again, and again and again. Remember, it is not always a sign that you are doing things wrong when you don’t get the results you desire on the first try. You might need more preparation, additional support of family, friends or a professional. It’s humbling to start fresh. It takes a lot of courage, but don't be afraid to start over. This time you're not starting from scratch, you're starting from experience.
Difficulties are your opportunities
Life will always have obstacles; you must learn to see them as opportunities. Difficulties do not always come to destroy you, many times they are opportunities to grow, to be better, to clear your path, to move forward. Your response will either come from a place of fear or a place of faith. Operating on fear can cripple your growth, but with proper preparation, you can move with confidence knowing that your effort will pay off. There is a song by the Haitian Kompa band Zenglen that Reginald Cangé sings called “Rezilta (2013)” meaning “results” and says “it’s every day you struggle to take a step… Focus and remember eternal problems are a law of nature, when you solve one, there is another on the way.” Reminding us of the opening proverbs. Should you not act because of that? Certainly not!
Celebrate the consistent small acts
When you look at a row of mountain summits known as a mountain chain, if your goal is to climb the tallest one, you first climb the smallest one leading to the tallest. Along the way building endurance and strength, also celebrate your small victories. I remember one of my clients texted me that she struggled to get started with her morning workout, but she did it and felt more energetic afterwards. I celebrated her small effort that day, it can be easy to look past the small act along the way. But it is the sum of those consistent small acts that adds up to yield the big results. Once you get over the hurdle you realize that the feeling of reaching your goal, or achieving a dream is powerful. The reward is worth the work it takes. It is a personal experience that you must go through for yourself and by yourself, others cannot properly describe it to you.
If your goal is for better health, you will learn with small consistent acts such as increased exercise, better sleeping patterns, and healthy eating habits will promote better outcomes. Feeling better due to an increase in physical activity will naturally motivate you to want to continue. You will learn to pack your snacks and lunches, sleep at a reasonable time, set healthy boundaries and more.
Photo Credit: Bid Francisque, Port-Salut December 2008
Better vision
I still feel small in front of mountains because they are so special. Climbing mountains, spending time in mountains, being surrounded by mountains will empower you to tackle greater challenges. You will learn to brave serious threats to see the climb as an opportunity to grow not only your physical capacities, but also your mental capacities. In addition, mountains will inspire you to want to know more, feel more and see more. “Dèyè mòn gen mòn”, keep on climbing toward your goals despite the difficulties for when you get to the top, it will present you the opportunity to get a clearer view of the next mountain.
Source
National Geographic (2020). Mountains: Hostile Planet. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/NcRifDitRnU September 2021
Zenglen: Rezilta, (2013). Kompagrooves. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/wany1vXtvzg
September 2021
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