Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission
Lisa Thompsonhas seen many summits in her lifetime.
Last year, she led an all-female climbing expedition in Nepal.
We hired women porters and women as base camp staff, which is rare in Nepal, she says.
Whether youre scaling literal or metaphorical mountains, there is wisdom to be gleaned from her experiences.
Well+Good:You were on Mount Rainieryour first big mountainwhen you made it your mission to scale Mount Everest.
What was it that drew you to big mountains?
mountaineer, coach, founder ofAlpine Athletics, and author ofFinding Elevation
I was drawn to just the physical demands that were required of me.
And it made me curious about what else I was capable of.
Did this ability translate when you received your breast cancer diagnosis the following year?
And that diagnosis definitely gave me the motivation to still be able to climb that year.
Its Amazing How Its All Connected.
Do I have reconstruction immediately after?
Do I keep my nipples?All of these excruciating decisions that will impact your body forever.
I dont remember exactly what she said, but I know it included the word foolhardy.
I needed this one thing that made me feel like I had some semblance of control.
mountaineer, coach, founder ofAlpine Athletics, and author ofFinding Elevation
Im fortunate that I was still able to go to Manaslu that year.
And thats really when I focused persistently on climbing Everest.
After successfully summiting, did the answer to this question become clear to you?
LT:Yeah, it totally did.
Nearly everyday on K2, I thought about quitting.
Something Ive tried to embody in my day-to-day life is to accept that vulnerability is okay.
Its okay to say, I dont know, or Im uncomfortable.
The pendulum is still swinging for me.
W+G:You were offered well-meaning advice before scaling K2: Dont give up until you are transformed.
What transformations would you say occurred since climbing the mountain?
LT:I love those random moments.
I say, and he responds, Dont give up until youre transformed.
I was like, What?
Im sure to him, it seemed like a very benign comment, but it resonated with me.
Theres this opportunity to get closer to who you really are.
You have to realize that life isnt about eliminating fear.
Its about moving forward with it because that is where the transformation happens.
W+G: What is one of the most important lessons youve learned from scaling mountains?
Nobody else should take responsibility for that.
I dont think Id gotten that before being diagnosed with cancer and reexamining my life priorities.
And I felt like I had screwed up this relationship, so there was some shame.
I think I had let other people define what I was capable of, thereby holding me back sometimes.
Thats something thatIhave to remind myself of.
I get to define what Im capable of.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
…
Got it, you’ve been added to our email list.
