How do we change who we are—especially if we’ve lived this way our entire life? How do we navigate through our lives in a way that is meaningful to us? This process can be difficult, especially if we work full time, have children, have a spouse, or other things that can take focus away from ourselves and our own priorities. We have to remember that, while we certainly have responsibilities and commitment to others, we have to be selfish sometimes. We have to create a life of our own for ourselves. We have to recognize when we’re being overextended. 

For Franco, this pathway opened up to him by rejecting antidepressants to confront his own anxiety and depression. This also meant being explorative with recreational drugs—psychedelics—that allowed him to step outside of himself, to see who he really was, and what sort of life he wanted to create. The question, “How do I know what I want to do?” leads to, “I can’t know unless I try.” We must be open and commit ourselves to being life-long learners of ourselves and what we want to achieve in this short life. We can’t know until we actually begin. Thus, we must “ascend the mountain” of our individual struggles—not in order to reach a peak—but to understand that ascending is all there is, and it should be enjoyed. 

Please share with us your stories about ascending your own mountain, the journey that led you to that moment, and the lessons learned.