How trekking changed my attitude towards life

I have been a spoilt brat, self-pampered in all possible ways. I have wisely spent my earnings on all my desires and luxuries together. Whether it was buying a car, stuffing all brands in my wardrobe, collecting high-end perfumes and toiletries, decorating my bar table with expensive wines, stocking gourmet food in my kitchen, spending luxuriously on my sports gears, treating myself to good spas and dinners or paying for all the exotic dance forms I’ve learned from the best dancers of the country, no dearth of anything. I have been taking pride in being able to earn for myself and pamper myself with everything I needed and desired for. This actually made me happy until trekking happened to me.

I had done my first Himalayan trek at the age of 16, and I always wanted to come back to the Himalayas. Over the time priorities had changed and making a decent career had taken a front foot. As soon as I realise that I need to keep all my passions alive, I started trekking again. I gave break to badminton, dance, weekend parties and road-trips and took long leaves to head to the mountains. I got addicted to this adventure just as someone would get to drugs.

My initial couple of treks were more about taking pride in the sense of achievement. The more i trekked and spent time in the mountains, the more I realised that I don’t need materialistic frills to be happy. I was my happiest self living out of a backpack in the toughest conditions. I literally lived with basic necessities - food, clothes, shelter (tent). Nothing more! I carry my own backpack while i climb and every ounce counts at those high-altitudes where the oxygen levels drop to just survival.

I needed more utility clothing than any fashionable clothes. I carried only the survival gears. 4 pairs of clothes to last for 10 days. None of the brands made sense there.
I didn’t take bath for all these 10 days and I looked the freshest, my skin glowed, my hair shined without any professional styling products that I was used to otherwise. 

The simple eggs, rotis, veggies, dal chawal, tasted so much better in these altitudes, which none of the fine dining in the cities could match upto.
I loved taking the trails where no vehicle or human would reach. I got addicted to freedom, space and pollution free environment.

The life-threatening problems I faced on the treks made all the problems we face in our daily lives look so small, that I stopped worrying about them altogether. 
But i was happy, everyday! Doing things I love made me happy and not buying things, I realised!

And this realisation proved costly too.
High rise buildings and malls looked depressing to me. I need lot of space to gaze my eyes around.
I felt restricted on the roads stuck in the traffic jams. I need my freedom to move around as per my will and choice.
Pizzas and burgers no more satisfied my taste buds. I craved for the fresh basil, mint, spinach straight from the organic lands.
Working from desk in a virtual world didn’t motivate me at all. I got used to sensing life with real human connect.

I stopped buying unnecessary things, I would buy only what I needed. I stopped buying plastic completely. I would carry my own cotton bags to grocery shopping. I walked more to minimise the use of petrol. I cooked my own food and stopped eating out frequently. I kept a check on my drinks too because I started aiming for tougher treks each time and fitness was of prime importance. I started saying no to every party so that I could save for my treks and international travels.

I very smoothly transited to a phase of minimalistic living without me even realising about it. When I sensed I was already in "THE PATH", life seemed more meaningful and beautiful.

​Read my other posts on "QUITTING MY JOB" series:

How Scuba Diving in Andaman encouraged me to quite my job

What I'm doing with my life after quitting my job