I remember the first 13,000 ft mountain I climbed - I can see it vividly in my mind.   I remember the pain of not enough oxygen in each breath.  More than anything I remember the feeling of having done something that I'd never done before.  I'd only recently quit smoking, after years of the bad habit, and I didn't think that I'd ever climb high altitudes - but there I was.

If you want to climb mountains then you have to deal with the terrain - there are no short cuts to the top, but the effort put in makes it special.  This doesn't mean that we should create obstacles, nor do we have to take the hardest route to make the trek worth taking.  The view from the top of a mountain is the same no matter which trail is taken.

Learn to embrace the challenges in your ventures as well as the rewards.  If it were easy or simple then everyone would do it and it would be nothing special.  By learning NOT to attach negative emotions to challenging tasks and obstacles, we can see them more objectively for what they are - a part of the journey.  Be aware of your self talk and the labels that you place on the tasks and events in your life and enjoy the journey.

* Special alert -A give away and an opportunity to help a little girl who was burned on Easter - please visit My Journey to Ithaca