Accomplishment. Technically it means ‘achieving something successfully’, but is it really as simple as it sounds? Let me try breaking it down..

Accomplishment usually starts with an intent. Like mine was when I decided to go on a trek alone in the foothills of the Himalayas.

The intent came with a lot of doubts and fears. Will I be able to catch that midnight bus alone from a highway in Chandigarh and travel to Manali, or share tents in the middle of the mountains with co-hikers who are strangers? Will I be able to carry 9 kilos weight on my back for 8 hours a day or deal with getting lost?

The next is the journey, which will be filled with challenges. Some moments will make you want to give up completely and some will make you feel like it’s the end of life.

Like for me, living in the Himalayas was not easy. I wasn’t geared for the extreme cold, the sun was harsh during the day and the air was thin. I stayed awake all night because the cold wouldn’t let me, the climb in the mountains was difficult and there was even a day when I lost all strength to walk.

Accomplishment needs a vision. You need to constantly remind yourself why you took the journey. This reminder will make you push forward and not give up. My vision was to experience a longer duration of hiking in the Himalayas.

The the final step is reaching the destination. It is that moment when you know your intent was right. You feel free because your intent was completed! Your hardship and struggle feel irrelevant. You yearn to re-live the journey.

The only thing to do then is, thank the universe for standing by you and pushing you through your journey and giving you the most amazing feeling of ACCOMPLISHMENT!

One can accomplish anything they want, personally, professionally and sometimes even unplanned challenges thrown in by destiny! It’s all about taking that path of the journey upto its destination with a constant reminder of the intent and motivation.

Just for the record, I had the most fantastic co-hikers who put all my fears to rest! We were there for each other at all times, motivating, helping and laughing out our pain of climbing the majestic mountains in the Himalayas!