We often have assumptions that were so engrained into who we think we are that we never seek to challenge them. We believe that if something is uncomfortable it should be avoided, and that we are our best, truest selves when surrounded by family, friends, and cultural contexts that are familiar. Although these are irreplaceable pieces of our identity, they can often end up becoming crutches that prevent us from getting to know the parts of ourselves that we can only become acquainted with when faced with a bowl of bugs.

When thinking of traditional leaders, the charming, well spoken, “has all the answers” type typically jumps to mind.  However, when instructing courses at Summit Adventure I don’t expect student leaders to have all of the answers – in fact I expect them not to.  Learning how to effectively lead does not require a remarkably dynamic individual, but someone who is able to observe the needs of the group being led.  A story from last year’s Adventures in Leadership course will hopefully provide some insight into just how impactful our wilderness leadership experiences can be.