Those of you who know me know that I have a passion for adventure…and climbing mountains. I’ve climbed Mount Kilimanjaro three times, and this year, I’m preparing to climb it for the fourth. But this time, it won’t just be my journey; I want to take four Landing Strong community members with me.

The mountain has taught me many lessons, but perhaps the most important one is this: the summit isn’t the point. The real transformation happens long before you reach the peak. It happens in the training.

Climbing a mountain is not simply about fitness. It’s about shifting how we see ourselves; learning to let go of the limiting beliefs that whisper we’re not strong enough, not resilient enough, not ready.

The first time I prepared for Kilimanjaro, I didn’t actually climb it. My role was to lead the community service portion of the trip. Yet the months of preparation changed me. My husband and daughter summited that year. I remember watching my 12 year old daughter’s strength and determination. After they completed the climb, she told me I was capable, even when I didn’t fully believe it myself. And she was right. Sometimes we need someone else to hold the vision of who we might become until we are ready to see it ourselves.

So I offer you this question: which mountain do you want to climb this year?
Maybe it’s Kilimanjaro. Maybe it’s something closer to home. The climb might be a literal peak or a personal one. What matters is that you choose to begin, and that you’re willing to train; not just your body, but your heart, mind, and spirit.

This March, we will travel to Tanzania. Together we’ll spend a week on safari, a week doing community service, and a week on Mount Kilimanjaro. Our community service project this year is close to my heart: building a girls’ dormitory so that young women can safely pursue their high school education. The training begins soon, and it will require commitment, consistency, and courage.

This journey is led by my husband Joe Seagram, in partnership with King’s Edgehill School and Summits Africa.  It is alcohol-free, smoke-free and cannabis-free (cannabis is not legal in Tanzania). Because we will be traveling with King’s-Edgehill School, we’ll be in the company of incredible high school students.

Here’s how you can join us:

• If you’re interested in being one of the four Landing Strong community members making the climb, please reach out to us directly at info@landingstrong.com
• If you’d like to be part of the virtual training program and train alongside us from home, keep an eye on your inbox—we’ll be sending details very soon.

The summit may be a breathtaking moment—but it is not the goal. The goal is to discover what we are capable of along the way.

So I ask you again: which mountain do you want to climb?

Warmly,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong