Resiliency: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties
We believe resiliency is more than just a buzzword. After climbing the highest peak on each continent, traveling to remote areas of the planet, and overcoming our own personal issues, all while coming and going from combat deployments, we take resiliency seriously. Whether you are challenged by marital troubles, financial hardship, depression, stress at work, deployments, physical wounds, PTSD, loneliness, or any other obstacle that you're working to overcome, it takes a combination of mental, physical, social, and spiritual health to knock down your problems and rise up to your full potential. Remember, everyone is fighting an equally tough personal battle.
The 50 Summits Challenge is aimed at getting Airmen into the outdoors, elevating your heart rates, making ya'll sweat, and teaching you to take advantage of the healing power of mountains (or in low-altitude states, the healing power of the outdoors and camaraderie).
Four tiers of resiliency and how the 50 Summits Challenge applies:
Physical- The summit is the goal... you've got to get yourself up there under your own power. Just like overcoming any obstacle in your life. For most states, it'll take physical strength and endurance to reach the top. Exertion/sweat helps burn off stress and generate endorphins that make you feel mighty fine.
Mental- Taking a break from base, from work, from technology is key to relaxation. Time spent in the outdoors, especially pushing your comfort zone, improves self-confidence, trust, and respect. When dealing with a challenge, it's particularly useful to fall back to the success one felt hiking/climbing, comparing a problem to the challenges you overcame in the outdoors.
Social- This is the easy one in this challenge because by taking part, you're going to meet some awesome people, spend time with friends, and get plenty of opportunity to socialize. Time spent in challenging outdoor adventures brings participants together in a powerful way. The bonds many climbers/hikers create with team mates often last for a lifetime. It's a mighty good thing to experience the summit of a mountain or a state high-point, but it's even better to share it with new friends.
Spiritual- This one is hard to describe- you only need to get into the mountains/outdoors to feel a connection to a greater being. Hiking/climbing/outdoor sports are a special way to relate to the world around us and seek answers to life's questions. Below is a video made from thousands of still photographs on Mt. Everest at the same time the USAF 7 Summits Challenge team was climbing. We think it touches on the distinct spiritual power of the mountains. (Note- the American flag in the beginning is our team's flag!)
The 50 Summits Challenge is aimed at getting Airmen into the outdoors, elevating your heart rates, making ya'll sweat, and teaching you to take advantage of the healing power of mountains (or in low-altitude states, the healing power of the outdoors and camaraderie).
Four tiers of resiliency and how the 50 Summits Challenge applies:
Physical- The summit is the goal... you've got to get yourself up there under your own power. Just like overcoming any obstacle in your life. For most states, it'll take physical strength and endurance to reach the top. Exertion/sweat helps burn off stress and generate endorphins that make you feel mighty fine.
Mental- Taking a break from base, from work, from technology is key to relaxation. Time spent in the outdoors, especially pushing your comfort zone, improves self-confidence, trust, and respect. When dealing with a challenge, it's particularly useful to fall back to the success one felt hiking/climbing, comparing a problem to the challenges you overcame in the outdoors.
Social- This is the easy one in this challenge because by taking part, you're going to meet some awesome people, spend time with friends, and get plenty of opportunity to socialize. Time spent in challenging outdoor adventures brings participants together in a powerful way. The bonds many climbers/hikers create with team mates often last for a lifetime. It's a mighty good thing to experience the summit of a mountain or a state high-point, but it's even better to share it with new friends.
Spiritual- This one is hard to describe- you only need to get into the mountains/outdoors to feel a connection to a greater being. Hiking/climbing/outdoor sports are a special way to relate to the world around us and seek answers to life's questions. Below is a video made from thousands of still photographs on Mt. Everest at the same time the USAF 7 Summits Challenge team was climbing. We think it touches on the distinct spiritual power of the mountains. (Note- the American flag in the beginning is our team's flag!)