GUEST POST BY GENEVIEVE V GEORGET
Have you ever heard the children’s song “The Bear Went Over the Mountain”?
We used to sing it at summer camp when we walked with all the little kids to the park. The bear climbed over the mountain…the bear climbed over the mountain…the bear climbed over the mountain…to see what he could see. And what do you think he saw? He saw another mountain…he saw another mountain…he saw another mountain…and what do you think he did? The bear climbed over the mountain…the bear climbed over the mountain…the bear climbed over the mountain…to see what he could see… and so on and so on. I always remember getting to the park and wishing – by the end – that I was actually in a plane headed for the side of that mountain!
I was in Toronto a while back and had the very indulgent privilege of spending time with a friend whom I’ve seen too little of over the past few years. We went out for dinner, sat down to chat, and before we knew it nearly three and a half hours had passed. As the night went on, we found ourselves talking about life, goals, and the many plans we each have for our lives. 
While the conversation was amazing, it didn’t take us long to notice that our list of goals – just like the song – went on and on and on. “We have the bear and the mountain syndrome,” I told my friend with a slight shrug of my shoulders. “Totally!” she replied. We then proceeded to stop talking about our goals for a bit and ordered a much needed chocolate brownie sundae instead!
Don’t we all know how easy it is to become the bear; constantly climbing… constantly striving… constantly achieving… only to see the next goal. And why should we know any different? At no point in time do we ever hear about the bear just stopping for a moment, pouring a glass of wine, and taking a load off. It’s just not part of the song! So we keep on going. We keep setting goals one after another, always in forward motion without looking back and savouring the accomplishment of the mountain we’ve just climbed.
Don’t get me wrong… I enjoy tackling the mountain. I’ve never turned away from a good hike and in turn, have found myself among some of the most gratifying results. But here’s the thing, if all you do is climb and climb and climb… you always find yourself among rough terrain with sore muscles and wondering why you started climbing in the first place. Forgetting why you started is perhaps the very death of the entire journey.
So, in honour of a brand new year let’s pull up a chair… sit back… and give the poor bear a break! Let’s take a moment to acknowledge how far we’ve come, how much we’ve climbed, and what the adventure has looked like along the way.
Because, let’s face it, what’s the point in climbing a mountain if you’re not going to stop to enjoy the view?
Happy New Year!
Join Reset Retreat and Genevieve for a break in Belize from February 19 to 24. Book using promo code ‘ILOVEME’ to get a personal hour long portrait session at the retreat photographed by Genevieve!
Related posts
- Before the breaking point by Genevieve
- Simple reminders to love yourself each day
- Putting living in the moment into practice
- “Your life is golden!” – Perception vs. Reality by Genevieve
About Genevieve V Georget
Genevieve V Georget is a full-time writer and photographer living in Ottawa, Ontario Canada with her husband and two children. Read more of her beautiful, vulnerable, and honest work on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Genevieve will be joining Reset Retreat in February!