Pulse September 2015 | Page 74

ENDNOTES What’s within you is stronger than what’s in your way. I seriously love a challenge. Whether it’s exceeding a budget goal, finishing a work deadline, reading the last page of a book or completing the final obstacle of an extremely difficult mud run, it’s rewarding to finish something you’ve STYLING & PHOTO BY ECHOSTARMAKER.COM started. There is almost nothing as exciting as feeling that sense of accomplishment. I recently experienced that sense of accomplishment with several members of the ISPA Board of Directors when we teamed up with No Barriers USA to summit a mountain with the organization’s founder, Erik Weihenmayer. Erik was the first blind climber in history to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Mount FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER! @LynneMcNees Everest. The mission of the organization is to unleash the potential of the human spirit, which is done by giving individuals with physical limitations the ability to conquer their dreams. LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! International SPA Association We have all climbed mountains and pushed ourselves beyond where we thought we could, but this experience was different—I had never climbed a mountain with such brave individuals who never equated being blind, missing limbs or other physical obstacles as limitations but simply as their reality to conquer. As soon as you get started, you no longer think about it as climbing a mountain, but simply taking it one step at a time—over and over. After we made it to the top, Erik, who was leading the climb, stopped us to deliver a short message. These words stood out to me: “The nature of mind is like water, if you do not disturb it, it will become clear.” WOW! It was clear, we all had limitations when we began the climb, it wasn’t about missing limbs or being bound to a wheelchair—we all have barriers. He went on to say “Don’t distract yourself from the purpose of life. Think less and just execute.” Thanks to ISPA Chairman Michael Tompkins and ISPA members Heather Thomson and Remembrance Staber for giving us the opportunity to experience this. If you would like to embrace the No Barriers mission, please let us know as ISPA will be participating again next year in a much bigger way and would love to have you join us. In the CONQUER YOUR BARRIER with Weihenmayer’s inspiring words. Click here to launch a video of his message to the ISPA Board during their first No Barriers USA summit. meantime, think about your own barrier. What are you doing to conquer it? —LYNNE McNEES, ISPA PRESIDENT 72 PULSE ■ September 2015