No Bad Weather

“There’s no bad weather; only bad gear,” my Icelandic guide said to me as we struggled against 20 MPH headwinds on a subzero day. As we hiked across the rocky dessert left by the receded glacier, my eyes teared up and my lashes froze from the wind. “Maybe I need better gear,” I thought as I pondered the metaphor.

Like that icy wind I was struggling with, we’ve all struggled with wellbeing. One approach to overcoming these struggles comes from within. Have a different mindset. Be more positive. Become stronger or more resilient. “Have better gear.”

Another approach is to change the context. Figure out the causes of your struggles and change them. Alter the circumstances. Restructure relationships. Perhaps leave. While we can’t change the weather, we can stay inside or move to a different climate.

The blustery trek was completely worth it. It ended in an ice cave where I saw the sunlight turned blue by several meters of ice. And, the wind was at our back all the way home. No bad weather, just decisions about whether it’s worth it. 

*Photography Credit: Alan Dow