“Nothing in this world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Kristel Wang has been regularly attending Rock The Naked Truth events, such as the weekly ROCKrunners Club and other events like ROCKyoga, ROCKlift and ROCKfood. Stumbling upon RTNT was timely, as she is on a journey of self-discovery. This month, she ascended Mount Rinjani, in what she described as a “life-changing trip”. Read on for her personal account of her adventure:
I’ve always been rather active in my younger days, involved in a variety of sports from tennis to hockey to wakeboarding. But I will admit that I lacked the discipline (and perhaps talent) to take my sport to the next level. Graduating from the carefree student life and entering into the stressful workforce and adulthood only furthered my ill-discipline, and I went through cycles of zero activity and sudden intense bouts of exercise.
I would get upset when I was unable to perform as well as the past, and would push myself to try and match up to my previous levels, foolishly thinking that I could still do it all without regular training. Needless to say, without proper strengthening and conditioning, as well as with age catching up, I was more prone to injuries.
I was also going through difficult periods, trying to cope with change, loss and grief. The stresses triggered severe adult acne and weight gain, resulting in physical and psychological scars. I was struggling with low self-esteem, insecurity and depression for many years, and frankly was in quite a mess going through many cycles of highs and lows. I did seek professional help, but the will to heal and get better must still come from within.
I came across Rock The Naked Truth by chance, browsing through Instagram one day. I thought this was such a positive and uplifting movement, but had failed to convince friends to accompany me, and thus had to pluck up the courage to join my first ROCKrunners session on my own. I had been in the process of finding myself, going through a journey of self-healing, self-love and personal growth. Something as simple as watching a movie alone was a huge milestone for me, getting over the stigma of appearing lonely, but I realised there was nothing to fear and in fact found it rather enjoyable.
Being comfortable in my own skin and building the confidence to be independent was a part of the process, and joining RTNT on my own was opportune. I found a community where I did not have to fear being judged, where people are very encouraging, motivating and inspiring.
It helped kickstart my return to sports and fitness, with the guidance of taking it slow and easy to prevent burnout or injury, while still pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones to become stronger and better. My emotional and mental states of mind also improved tremendously; after all, exercise is proven to be a natural mood-booster, increasing levels of serotonin and endorphin releases in our body.
When the random invitation to climb Mount Rinjani came, I was initially hesitant as I had no real trekking or camping experience, and was also worried about my fitness and whether I would be able to survive. Scaling a mountain had always been one of my goals, but I had never actively planned for it and made excuses such as the lack of time, finance or companions.
The truth is, there will always be barriers and there will never truly be a right moment. Sometimes we just have to take that leap of faith and it is up to us to make the effort to make it happen. After much research and deliberation, I decided to take the plunge, and embarked on a new training regime.
In addition to RTNT, I joined a stairs climbing group (which I also found by chance) and trained regularly with my Rinjani teammates as well as by myself, incorporating runs, HIIT, stairs, hikes and recovery swims. With only about three months to train, I was forced to be disciplined, ensuring that I set aside time for training, even if it meant declining some social activities. I felt the drive to lead a healthier lifestyle, cutting down on vices such as drinking, and made an effort to sleep early, especially on weekends, so that I could train in the mornings.
Of course there were times when I fell off the wagon, we are but only human after all. Remember to forgive yourself, pick yourself up again, look forward and just keep going. I was also heartened to have received encouragement and support through various ways, in the form of tips and advice, loaned gear, even gifts and more, some from people I barely knew well.
This three-day two-night trek up Mount Rinjani was both physically and mentally very challenging, but it was by far one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had.
The push to the summit was especially gruelling, with the steep terrain of scree and ash. We had begun our ascent at 2.30am in darkness and was aiming to reach the summit before sunrise at 6.15am, but unfortunately it was not meant to be for me. I was fatigued, sleepy, cold and hungry, and in addition was suffering from bad menstrual cramps and constipation pains.
It also happened to be Father’s Day by unplanned chance, and I could not help but feel saddened by thoughts of my late father, but I did take comfort in feeling like we were closer to heaven. My heart also sank further when the sun rose and I realised I still had a long way more to go; there were also moments when I consoled myself that it would be alright if I could not make it all the way up to the top, because the view from where I was at was already so beautiful. I was plagued by a roller coaster of emotions and it truly was a test of will to overcome the constant physical and mental battles.
It took a good amount of self-motivation and sheer determination to get my feet moving again. This was exactly what I had been training so hard for, and I could not disappoint myself. I was grateful to have my trusted guide, Bulloh by my side. He too was rooting for me, and at the last stretch, Bulloh and another guide were both literally pushing and pulling me up. The rest of my teammates were already at the top; the first few who reached the summit waited almost 1.5 hours for me in the freezing cold!
Slowly but surely, I MADE IT!!! All 3,726 metres above sea level. Emotions were running high and I burst into mixed tears of joy, sadness, exhaustion, relief and sheer awe… I AM SO PROUD THAT I MADE IT! Words alone cannot describe how incredibly amazing and beautifully humbling this whole experience has been for me.
A few lessons I learnt:
- No amount of stressing or worrying can change the inevitable, especially when it comes to nature and things beyond our control. We can only plan to be better prepared. It’s how we react and deal with the circumstances that makes the difference.
- We are but just a tiny speck in this big world and yet we take so much for granted. We need to respect our environment and appreciate what we have. The irony is that those who have nothing are so much more giving; we need to learn from their generosity and kindness. We also need to spend less on the unimportant and focus on what truly matters.
- Perhaps my biggest takeaway was: to not be ruled by ego or pride. To be honest, I initially felt ashamed that I received so much help on this mountain and almost discredited myself thinking that I did not make it on my own merits. I had originally wanted to go back again just to prove that I could do it all on my own. I reflected on this a fair bit and realised there is humility and grace in accepting and seeking help, and in doing so, you also gain more understanding for others when it’s their turn in need. Receiving help does not make you a weakling. After all, no man is an island, we all need one another.
That being said, there is wisdom in knowing when to assert self-reliance and when to humbly seek help. But at the end of the day, we still need to find the strength within ourselves, build self-assurance, and not depend on others for validation.
Would I be so bold as to say that this was a life-changing trip? Perhaps.
I had given my whole body, heart, mind and soul in preparation for Rinjani, but it was never just about reaching the summit. It was always about the journey it took to get there and back, and the journey does not stop here, because it is a constant, endless process.”
_______________________________________________________________________
ROCKstar of the Month is a monthly award given to an inspiring individual who advocates a positive mindset and living an active lifestyle (see full requirements below).
Requirements to be a ROCKstar of the Month awardee:
- SUPPORT – Believes strongly in the movement and advocates the right mindset
- INFLUENCE – Displays ability to be a positive influence to those around him/her
- ENTHUSIASM – Regularly attends Rock The Naked Truth events
- LEADS BY EXAMPLE – Demonstrates desire to improve lifestyle aligned with the movement
- CONTRIBUTION – Does his/her part to give back to the movement
