Element
I took a rock off a mountain in September while thru-hiking the 104-mile Uinta Highline Trail.
The small flat rock was a brilliant turquoise and I assumed my jeweler in Westcliffe, Colorado could transform the rock into a beautiful necklace pendant. So I zipped the vibrant blue rock into my hip belt pocket and effortlessly carried it 25ish more miles to my car.
When I got home and removed the rock out of my hip belt pocket, the brilliant turquoise had faded completely. The once vibrant blue rock was now just a gray piece of shale. It now looked like all the other million pieces of shale found on the high fragile mountain slopes. Though a bit disappointed, I wasn’t surprised. Were humans any different? I certainly wasn't.
I, too, shine best in my natural environment or when I am in my “element.” At 23, I found the high mountains and never looked back. At 25, I laid my eyes upon Utah’s canyons for the first time and they’ve been my soul’s spirit place ever since. At 26, I stepped foot upon my very first backpacking journey, the Appalachian Trail, and long-distance, human-powered expeditions have been my being’s favorite activity year after year.
When sad, depressed, dampened, and uninspired, these are the environments that heal and inspire me. Deep inside my being, I know in order to feel like I’m living out my fullest potential, these are the environments I need to be in, these are the activities I must partake in.
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Aristotle says that our ability to contemplate, create, dream, and invent is what sets us apart from animals. And to not utilize these gifts is to live sub-human because we are not fully actualizing what makes us human and not animal. I agree. Furthermore, I believe certain environments foster your ability to dream, create, invent, and contemplate. Meaning, I believe there are certain environments that help you live fully human, or be your best self. Conversely, I believe there are environments that dampen your colors.
I think everyone in the world should take a few moments and identify their ideal environments; the environments where they feel like they’re their best self and in their element. There are, of course, many different environments to contemplate:
There’s the natural environment. Are you a mountains or oceans kind of person? Get as geographically specific as possible.
Your career and career site has an environment. Perhaps maybe culture is a better word for it. Is it positive, negative, uplifting, or unhealthily competitive? Does it tap into your inner genius? Does it appreciate your inner genius?
Your town has an environment or a culture. For me, I like towns that focus on health, adventure, and Nature; towns that have pride. I can confidently say that Salida, CO is my town.
Your social circle has an environment. For me, I choose to surround myself with positive, inspiring, goal-driven, ambitious dreamers who don’t just talk but do. I guard my time heavily against individuals who do not fit this bill.
Your activities have an environment or once again perhaps culture is a better fit here. Regardless, I know that my fellow mountaineers find beauty in not only the mountains and in Nature but as well as in hardship. I know my fellow long-distance expeditionists find beauty not only in Nature but also simplicity and perseverance. These activities bring forth an environment full of like-minded people.
Your relationship has an environment. Does the air feel positive or negative while in your partner’s presence? Do you feel like your relationship brings out your best self? Or does your relationship dampen your true colors?
I believe to live your best life as your best self, you must keenly recognize which environments foster your true colors and which do not. You’re not pursuing happiness here, you’re pursuing your fullest potential. I believe happiness is simply a byproduct.
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J.D. Rockefeller said that a successful person can identify their ideal environment and if for some reason they cannot be in it, they will create it.
I don’t want you to read this blog and think that I think I am the Queen of Happiness. I am certainly excellent at envisioning stout goals, pursuing them, and putting my happiness at the top of my priority list. But to be fully transparent, each winter I find myself in America’s southeast completely removed from my aforementioned ideal environments and consequently a bit depressed.
Each winter, I find myself desperately trying to heed the wisdom of J.D. Rockefeller and attempting to create my ideal environment. I read each morning, I go to the rock gym, I try to design a cozy cabin-like indoor space in which I work on BE (though I am anti-possession at my core), I pursue what goals I can, I make new goals, etc. Perhaps the actual aha moment in that statement comes from within the parenthesis. Perhaps I find my life in the southeast to not only be geographically removed from my ideal environments but also to be somewhat in opposition of my identified core values of BE Outside, BE Simple, and BE In Pursuit. Yikes.
You see, I am not the Queen of Happiness. I am just the Queen of taking Happiness seriously.
I once read a quote that asked “Which way does your internal compass point?” I believe your internal compass points toward your element. But you’ll only know your element if you can identify it. Thus, grab paper, and a pen, and a coffee or a beer, and contemplate. Or do what Aristotle said and grab paper, and a pen, and a coffee or a beer and be human.
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I took a rock off a mountain in September while thru-hiking the 104-mile Uinta Highline Trail. It no longer shines it vibrant blue turquoise color and it actually doesn’t surprise me.
~ Belay
