Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I call my Dad (or sometimes I watch Love Actually). Usually, okay, always, I realize life is simply about changing the outlook and being vulnerable. All of us in a way are climbing blind. That last sentence isn’t a remark from my Dad, although it’s similar to his ever prescient advice. It is a quote I read by a guy named Erik Weihenmayer. Erik is a human being who lives his life knowing what’s within us is stronger than what’s in our way. He is the founder of the non-profit organization No Barriers USA. Due to a rare eye disease, Erik lost his eye sight by the age of 13. Fast forward to May 2001, Erik became the first blind man to reach the summit of Mount Everest. His passion for exploration and a life of adventure led him to create No Barriers, an organization which encourages and leads people to overcome their challenges, to push themselves to succeed in discovering what they are capable of as breathing beings on planet earth. By not limiting himself he has taken the lid off of others’ self-limits. Erik’s story gave me goose bumps and reminded me why I feel lucky to exist. I hope you will choose to read a bit more about him here and feel inspired to be your best self.

Image via this unrelated yet equally rad story.