This blog entry should have been posted yesterday May 26th, but we had a very nice farewell dinner at the Hanifl centre so I could not finish the blog post on time. After returning to Hanifl on the 24th, we used the 25th as a day to relax and clean out our trekking gear. Yesterday, the 26th, was a rest day where we were allowed to go out of Hanifl to stores, and restaurants. I, along with the other 4 students of the program, went to a restaurant where we got a lot of food including momo, chowmein, and other Tibetan specials. It was a very enjoyable and fun day. Apart from those I have also shared some of my final experiences in India below:
- What are the key lessons that you learned about yourself from the trekking experience?
- The 10-day trek is going to be one of the highlights of my life. There were so many instances where I was struggling mentally, more than physically. This whole 10 days experience has taught me a lot of life lessons and a lot about myself. One of the most important things I have learned that I am much stronger and able to do so much more than I can imagine. My body can adapt to so much change in such a small time frame. Going to 13000 ft is not an easy job. The high altitude was a struggle for me to adapt, but in just about a day, I was feeling like I had lived there for years. The realization that my body can do more than I can imagine has helped me gain more confidence in myself and my body as well. Carrying and hiking with 50+ lb backpack is no joke. I am very proud and happy with what I have achieved.
- What new perspectives did you learn about leadership from the trek? Why?
- In the trek I learned that leaders do not always have to lead a number of people. Leaders can also simply be just you as well. We had learned about self-leadership but seeing it in the wilderness was a different experience. I learned the importance of self-leadership as someone else might not always be around you to help you with feedbacks.
- What are three things that you can do to continue learning to be a better leader? What are some specific ways you can apply them to your own leadership development?
- Three things that I can continue to do in order to become a better leader are more one on one feedbacks, application of the leadership skills, and helping others become leaders. During the trek I found one on one feedbacks to be extremely helpful because it helped me see certain things about myself that I was overlooking. So, using one-on-one feedback in my personal life, I can learn more about my strengths and weaknesses that I might not be seeing myself. I also believe constantly stepping up and willing to be a leader can be a great to becoming a better leader. Lastly, I also found that whenever I was assisting others to be a leader, I found myself learning a lot by just seeing their way of leadership, so I believe helping others to become leaders is another great way to continue learning about leadership.