Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, A Metaphor for Life
Life lessons from the Top of Africa
By: Sammie Bennett / 5 - minute read
Sammie on top of Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro standing 19,341 feet tall
Around the time of my thirtieth birthday, my depression and anxiety began to rise to the surface. Activities and accomplishments that previously made me happy no longer brought me joy. I was financially stable, surrounded by amazing friendships, and kept busy with a stimulating social life. And yet, at the end of the day, I felt unfulfilled.
Don’t get me wrong. I was grateful for my life and the opportunities I’d been given, but deep inside of me, something was profoundly “off”. I felt as though I was living someone else’s life. It was a hollow feeling and one that I couldn’t satisfy with more friends or professional success.
I deeply longed for travel, adventure, and to incorporate more distance-running into my life. I realized I was in a toxic workplace culture and I no longer wanted to trade financial stability for my mental stability. Most of all, I wanted to love who I wanted to love — not who society said I should love.
I began making changes to find a better sense of alignment in my life. I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I needed support — and that quest led me down a rabbit hole looking for a solution. Eventually, I found Mountains and Marathons, a program that offered a six-month intensive training to prepare me emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually to summit Mount Kilimanjaro —and ultimately create more harmony in my life.
Those six months taught me much more than how to safely climb and descend the highest mountain peak in Africa. It became a metaphor for my life. Along the way, I learned four life lessons:
Life lesson 1: Embrace what is essential and true
There was no right or wrong way to live even though society or our parents may claim otherwise. Identifying my passions, unique gifts, beliefs, and values was essential for living a purposeful life. These core principles provided me with a compass I could constantly reference. My thoughts, life choices, and overall life direction began to reflect my core values. My life became a unique expression of me. I realized that I am here for a reason and it’s up to me to discover my true purpose.
Embracing my authentic nature became an important part of my personal evolution process and it was essential for what I knew I had to do next: Come out.
I was scared of what my friends, family, and community would think about me. Would they look at me the same? Would I be accepted? These were valid concerns, but I knew withholding this part of my being wouldn’t be true to my nature. So I did it. Guess what happened?
I shocked the hell out of a lot of people and probably threw everyone for a curveball. There were a few stragglers but overall, my friends, family and community stood behind me and supported my decision. They just wanted me to be happy.
Life Lesson 2: Let go and lean into uncertainty
In the months leading up to my trip to Africa, my coaches encouraged me to let go of areas of my life that no longer served me, including my well-paying, yet toxic, job. At first, this didn't make sense. How would I pay my bills and my expenses for this trip? My coaches encouraged me to trust the process. They assured me, I would figure it out … and I did.
I quit my emotionally taxing full-time job and took a part-time gig at the local Apple store. I sold my beloved possessions, moved out of my apartment, and couch surfed at friends' places until I departed for Africa. This was both liberating and frightening. But guess what happened? This leap of faith led me to discover a new career path in the tech industry that I had never envisioned. Until I let go of my old objects, routines, and habits, I wasn’t able to make room for new ones that led to change and growth. I discovered that when there is uncertainty, there is opportunity.
Life Lesson 3: Start small and go slow
I realized that I was capable of making the changes I desired in my life if I was patient and tackled the challenges one baby step at a time. At first, this was difficult for me as I prefer a fast pace with immediate results. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro's summit taught me the importance of making a slow and steady climb. We had to take small steps to acclimate to the oxygen levels safely. This made the most challenging part of the journey enjoyable and manageable. In life, when I have a goal in mind, I now divide it up into manageable micro-steps. This method keeps my brain from getting overwhelmed and provides me with a sense of daily accomplishment.
Life Lesson 4: Find a community to create a safe space for authentic expression
All of us experienced highs and lows on Kilimanjaro just as we do in everyday life. It became essential to my well-being to know that I am not alone, even though it may not feel like that sometimes. I discovered I had people in my life with whom I could be openly authentic and express what I was going through. When I was feeling lost or down, sometimes all I needed was someone to empathize with me. Now, I welcome the opportunities when I can give this gift back to another person. I can do this by simply acknowledging someone by saying “Hi!”, giving them a smile, or asking how their day is going. A small, simple gesture can change the trajectory of another person’s day — or life.
While these four life lessons seem simple, they had the power to transform my life because they set me up to live according to my principles and purpose.
Today my purpose in life is to create more awareness around mental health and to help people soften their mindset around this taboo topic. If sharing my experience through social media helps one person, then I feel aligned.
Frequently Asked Questions about Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
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The hike to the top and back is a 5 to 7-day trek. Our group took 4 days to summit and then 3 days back to the base.
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Our group took the Machame route.
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Mount Kilimanjaro is hard. I went with a group called Mountains and Marathons and they had hired Adventures & Safaris. They are professional sherpas and helped carry most of the gear. Without them, it would be tough.
About the Author:
My name is Sammie Bennett. I am 33 years old and a Michigan native! I am an endurance runner, who loves all things outdoors; trail running, road running, cycling, and hiking. I have a passion for getting outside, supporting mental health awareness, and being a part of the running community in West Michigan. I love to travel all over, but my most proud adventure thus far is my trip to Moshi, Tanzania to summit Mt Kilimanjaro in 2020. When I am not adventuring I am focusing on my career in tech sales, going to see live music, or spending time with friends and family.
