Coming back from the Trek, I was fatigued but felt different. I now feel far more confident in my abilities and well suited to concur difficulties in the front country. I feel stronger and more poised to do all I can in times of crisis. The Trek helped bring out qualities and capabilities I never knew that I had within me. Unfortunately, on Day 4, a very rainy storm lasted for three hours. During this time of searching for water and helping the team set up camp, my meditation notes and reflection notes were destroyed. In the future, I now know to buy waterproof journals or wrap the book in a plastic bag. Surprisingly, this allowed me to be more present and take up more duties from G and Vipul. By doing this, I was able to find freedom in Self-Leadership and find ways I could help others.

My thoughts during the Trek were focused on my reconnection with nature and myself. When I was atop the mountain, I had a lot of time to think about many years of life as well as the group dynamics. I was able to think of strong ways I could help everyone while allowing them the proper time to learn and figure out what they personally needed to do. While searching for water, shelter, and making food, I was serious and felt the need to survive. This feeling stayed with me during the whole trip, but as my competency grew, I could relax more and believe that I would be able to find a solution- no matter how long that took. At the start, I was restless and needed to think of every option and plan. After a few days, I felt comfortable in almost every situation. A leader does not need to know everything about what exactly to do but believe in themselves to develop a solution as time progresses. Luckily I had many chances to do this, in the jungle, in villages, and traveling in snow. I now have a basis of great challenge to think of in leadership positions in the front country; if I could calm down and think in the Himalayas to develop a robust solution, I can do that in every aspect of life. In the beginning, I was so focused on developing ways to truly become a leader, while I should have focused on giving myself time to access the situation entirely and realize I have time to think, not just to act. Within decision-making, the time between thinking and acting is not sudden in many scenarios. I now feel that depending on the situation, I can either react or have the necessary time to devise a plan with my team. Regarding physical challenges, I asked many questions about operating the stove, cooking, and fetching water. I was self-aware of my lack of experience and was grateful to my team members and guides for their continued support in my development. For personal challenges, having time to think by myself each day was crucial to staying present and helped me continue to operate at a high level. I will continue practicing self-leadership, and I look forward to more reflection on this great once-in-a-lifetime experience in my final paper.