May 16, 2025 • 21 mins
Audio Note from Genevieve:
Hey friends—I’m still learning the editing ropes, and you might notice the volume shifts a bit in this episode. I’ve done my best to balance it, but I’m still growing in this area. Thanks for your grace as I figure it out! I truly believe Jillian’s story is worth the listen, imperfections and all.
____________________________________________
Jillian’s story fits beautifully with the Hidden Chapters theme: the parts of our experiences that live beneath the surface, beyond what’s shared in photos or casual conversation.
In this episode of Hidden Chapters, I sit down with my friend Jillian, whose journey to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro was about so much more than just reaching the summit.
While the photos and stories might show the mountain, Jillian’s true story lies in the quiet moments of strength, perseverance, and discovery that unfolded long after the climb. Guided by the Swahili phrase “pole pole”—meaning “slowly, slowly”—Jillian faced challenges that tested her in unexpected ways. As she says, “You are capable of more than you ever imagine. You can do hard things.”
Jillian’s life is all about adventure, fun, and embracing the journey—whether she’s climbing mountains or traveling the world with her husband, checking off every escape room they can find along the way.
This episode reveals the deeper layers behind her journey, showing that the true summit is about much more than what’s visible on the outside.
What you'll learn:
- Jillian climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to challenge herself and prove her mental strength.
- The climb symbolized determination, perseverance, and inner strength.
- The journey was grueling, requiring mental endurance and support from others.
- Climbing taught Jillian that the struggle is often unspoken but essential to the experience.
- Jillian experienced silent struggles and moments of self-doubt during the climb.
- The climb transformed Jillian, leaving behind her old self and self-doubt.
- Jillian learned the importance of patience and taking life slowly, embodied in the phrase 'pole pole'.
What we talked about:
- 00:00 The Journey Begins: Climbing Kilimanjaro
- 06:43 The Inner Struggle: Emotions on the Ascent
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Genevieve (00:00):
Some milestones in life are easy to spot.
Big wins, big moments, and thekinds of things people cheer
for.
But what we don't always see isthe meaning behind them.
The hard stuff that came beforeand the way those moments
changed us afterward.
My guest today is my goodfriend Jillian.
And she climbed MountKilimanjaro.
(00:21):
But what makes her story reallyspecial isn't just the
mountain.
It's what that climb meant toher.
what pushed her up there, whatshe carried with her to the top,
and how that moment has stuckwith her through life's ups and
downs ever since.
Jillian's got big dreams, liketraveling the world and doing
every escape room she can find.
(00:42):
But today, she's here to talkabout the hidden chapters behind
her climb and what it's taughther about facing fear, finding
strength, and moving throughtough moments with a whole lot
of heart.
Okay, so hey Jillian, welcometo Hidden Chapters.
So let's start with what ledyou to this moment.
(01:04):
What was happening in your lifebefore you decided to climb
Mount Kilimanjaro?
Jillian (01:10):
Well, hi, Genevieve.
Thank you for asking.
I'm so happy to be here and bea guest on your Hidden Chapters.
So Pilar Manjaro, it was reallya tough climb.
What led me to there was I justwanted to challenge myself and
believe myself and just showmyself that I had this strength
in me, this mental strength inme.
(01:30):
And I just wanted to prove tomyself that no matter what, I
will not give up.
So what led me to this is justjust a challenge that I wanted
to prove to myself, that I havethis mental endurance, this
resiliency, this belief, and Iwanted to prove that I could
just be stronger than what I hadshown others.
(01:54):
I just wanted to do this formyself.
Genevieve (01:56):
Right, so that was that personal drive that you
were talking about.
Oh,
Jillian (01:59):
yes.
Genevieve (02:00):
So what did this climb symbolize for you?
It
Jillian (02:04):
symbolized determination, for sure, and
perseverance.
I wanted to show what'spossible with focus and the
heart.
And I wanted to prove that I'mcapable, I'm strong to do tough
things.
So it was more than just like aphysical challenge.
It was more of inner strengthand believing in myself that I
(02:26):
could do this, accomplish thisgoal that I had for like a year
now that my husband, hechallenged me because it all
started off.
I challenged him to do amarathon.
He's like, You made me do amarathon.
Let's see if you could do,let's see if you could climb a
mountain now.
I'm like, okay, I think I coulddo it.
Let's go.
So I was just trying to proveto myself and to him that no
(02:49):
matter what I am, I'm going todo this.
I'm going to climb thismountain.
I just didn't know all thedetails that are involved in
climbing this mountain.
So I actually wrote a storyabout the summit of strength
that happened.
led me to climbing thismountain so would you like to
hear it yes yes yes i would okayso let me start by also
(03:11):
mentioning that i am not an avidclimber i've never climbed a
mountain this high before but ido have an active lifestyle and
a very adventurous spirit okayhere we go this is the story of
the summit of strength i stoodat the base of mount kilimanjaro
staring up its peak It'spiercing through the sky.
(03:31):
It was so surreal to think thatin just six days, I would be at
the top, reaching 19,341 feet.
I had promised myself beforeeven taking the first step, I
would not quit no matter what.
The journey was grueling.
Six days without a shower,sleeping in a tent with nothing
but a sleeping bag to separateme from the hard ground.
(03:52):
Each day was a slow and steadyclimb.
We had porters that would helpus carry our items such as food
and our tent, and my body wasadjusting to the thinning air.
My mind locked into a singlegoal, reach the summit.
It was all about mydetermination to get there.
Luckily, the porters, theywould remind us which means
(04:13):
slowly, slowly.
We just had to take small stepsbecause as you get higher in
elevation, it just feels likeyou're breathing out of a straw.
The final push began atmidnight.
We layered up against thefreezing temperatures and set
off under the glover headlamps.
The wind was relentless,howling through the darkness,
cutting through my clothes andchilling me to the bone.
(04:34):
The terrain was otherworldly.
Endless and eerie, as if wewere walking on a distant
planet.
My mind was strong, but mybody, that was another story.
At about 18,000 feet, that'swhere my altitude sickness, it
hit me like a freight train.
I felt so sick to my stomach.
My strength was draining in aninstant.
(04:54):
I had no choice, but I had toscramble behind a rock, my body
betraying me in the mosthumbling way possible.
I felt so weak, embarrassed,but as I struggled, my husband
stood by me, shielding me fromthe wind and from the world.
It wasn't just a physicalendurance I needed.
It was the support of thepeople and my husband around me.
Later on, I found out I wasn'talone in this.
(05:17):
Others in the group had facedthe same battle, stepping away
silently, suffering in their ownways.
Others even making their waydown the mountain.
But in the end, this is what noone talked about.
That's the thing.
When people share theirstories, they talk about
triumph, the breathtakingsunrise, the bucket list moment
of standing on the top ofAfrica.
(05:37):
They do not talk about thesuffering, the breakdowns, the
raw and filtered struggle ittakes to literally get to the
top.
But that's what makes thesummit worth it.
Not just the view, but theknowledge that I endured.
That I kept going.
Even when my body wanted togive up, my mind refused.
Climbing Kilimanjaro didn'tjust show me a spectacular
(06:00):
sunrise.
It showed me that I'm capableof more than I ever imagined.
It was truly surreal standingon the top of the world's
tallest freestanding mountain.
Reminded me I could do hardthings and I always will.
So honestly, like the summit isjust a moment of great
achievement and accomplishment.
And it sets in.
It takes time to set in.
(06:20):
Like weeks later, you reallyunderstand what it takes to get
there.
That's my story.
Genevieve (06:27):
So I know that when we were prepping for this, you
sharing that with me for thefirst time, and I just knew that
your story could resonate withso many people.
But even hearing it the secondtime, it is amazing what you
did.
And I love that you have thisstory.
And I think it is a lesson thatwe can all take, right, of just
(06:48):
not giving up all of thechallenges that we have in life.
So I want to ask you, you saidyou just kept going.
But in those climbs, you hademotions and things that you
weren't expecting.
So take us back to that just alittle bit about those days that
you had that were hard.
And so what emotions ormemories did it bring up that
(07:12):
you weren't expecting?
Jillian (07:13):
Oh, yes.
Great question.
That really takes me back tothe very moment.
Like every day, it just becamea little harder and harder.
Like your stomach would turn.
You couldn't eat certainthings.
Like the weather was likedifferent types of climate.
Like in Kilimanjaro, they havedifferent like microclimates.
Like you see the desert, likethe tundra, and then you're like
(07:37):
up in the clouds.
Yeah, so...
There's a lot of struggles.
There's silent struggles.
There's moments of like fearand frustration.
And you're just in yourthoughts wondering, like, do you
really have enough strength tofinish?
Like there's those momentsyou're like you're exhausted.
You're overwhelmed.
It's like I would describe itas like a mental tug of war.
(07:58):
Like, why am I really here?
What am I doing?
Why am I doing this?
And as the days pass, yourealize you're here because you
can, it's just like, it's amental battle.
It's those tiny decisions thatyou hear like, okay, one more
step, just breathe.
You could do this one morehour.
Just, it's just an incrediblecommunity that, um, helps you
(08:22):
build that strength and likethose porters that like guide us
and luckily they are holdinglike our heavy equipment like
our tent and there's people thathave food for us and cook for
us and we have to just staystrong we have our walking
sticks and our backpacks butthen you see others like I even
saw a guy with his friends ortour group he had no legs and he
(08:47):
was climbing this mountain ofcourse they're holding him but
he still is feeling like we'refeeling we can't we can't live
we can't breathe it's just sohigh up so it's just those
moments that bring me back likethose struggles and the fears
i'm like okay no matter whatlike let's let's go we're gonna
do this no matter how many likecold nights we had we're just
(09:12):
pushing through every daymentally and physically, but
more mentally challenging, ofcourse.
Genevieve (09:17):
Wow.
Well, I think the importantpart of that too, is you weren't
doing this alone.
You know, you had your husbandwith you, you had people with
you and think, no, I couldn't dothat journey without having
people supporting me on that.
So looking and connecting tothe hidden chapters themes, you
look back at the pictures andthe stories that you can tell,
but what, what part of thisjourney isn't visible in the
(09:39):
photos or the stories that youusually tell?
Jillian (09:43):
That is a very thoughtful question because
Kilimanjaro, it's like a journeythat happens like inside.
It's behind those photos or thehighlights and the reels and
Instagram.
It's like I had mentioned, itis a silent struggle and it's a
bond that you go through withlike the strangers and the group
of people that were there withus.
(10:03):
But for me also, it was like atransformation.
I left my old self, my oldversion of myself on the
mountain and And I just felt anew sense of pride and joy.
I felt stronger, lighter, moreclear.
You let go of some baggage andyou realize what is really
(10:26):
important in life.
So it's just like an innershift.
It's hard to explain, but it'snearly impossible to see in a
photograph all the things likeyour mind and your body change.
So it doesn't show the grit,your inner battles, those
victories and the soul work thathappens each step of the way.
(10:46):
Yeah.
Genevieve (10:47):
So you said you left a little piece of your old
version of yourself behind.
What was the old version ofyourself?
Jillian (10:54):
So back then, sometimes I wouldn't be as
confident.
I would just feel like, oh, Idon't know if I could do that.
I don't know if I'm strongenough.
I would just have likeself-doubt in me because I've
just never done that before.
And I didn't really know I hadthat in me, that courage.
So I felt like after each daythat passed by, I just felt like
(11:19):
I made a new person throughthis journey.
So I just said, Like I couldprove myself wrong just climbing
this mountain.
I left the doubt and the fearsbehind.
Genevieve (11:34):
what did it feel like coming down that mountain
after six days
Jillian (11:38):
yeah going up was a lot harder like those six days
or like long hours like webarely slept it was just like we
had to climb high sleep low sowe would climb a day like six to
eight hours at least a day andthen have to climb a little
lower to get used to theelevation so we we set up our
tents and had our dinners and itwas just a beautiful moment
(12:00):
just looking up at the starsconversating with our group no
technology so it was very verybeautiful peaceful times so
climbing up the mountain was alot more challenging of course
took longer and then coming downit was just like it was
incredible how like the timelike it only takes one pretty
(12:21):
much one day to come down so youfinally reach the top and
you're there just enjoying theview for a little while like
maybe the most like 30 minutesbecause we're like okay we still
need to climb all the way downbut Like, it's just a different,
like, feeling.
You feel, like, a sense ofoverwhelmment and gratitude that
you made it to the top.
And at the end, like, you startfeeling a little sad that this
(12:43):
journey is sort of over.
Like, oh, my God, all thesebeautiful moments we had.
So it's like a bittersweetfeeling, I guess you could say.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it was just, like, a lot ofpride and a bittersweet moment.
Genevieve (12:58):
Yeah.
Yeah.
That is great.
And how did you recover?
I know you said it was aphysical as well as a mental
battle going up.
And then you said it took you aday to come down.
Did you have to have anotherweek to recover?
What was the time frame?
Jillian (13:15):
actually didn't like take too long as we were coming
down like we had like differentweathers as well so one day it
was super one hour was likesuper sunny the next hour
started like raining on us andit got really windy but when we
finally came down we just had tolike adjust a little bit I
guess to the elevation but Ifelt my stomach felt settled we
(13:38):
were just starving by the timewe finished and wanted to take a
shower so bad so we just Yeah,I settled into a hotel and took
it easy.
Like nothing mentally orphysical, no injuries or nothing
like that, thank God.
So we just had a sense of likegratitude and fulfillment.
So once we finished climbingthis mountain, it just carried
(14:02):
us over through the days.
We just felt so grateful andhappy that we were able to do
this with a group of people.
Genevieve (14:09):
So thinking about the mountain, Climbed the
mountain, you proved to yourselfyou could do these things and
you came down the mountain.
This was done eight years ago.
What changed you since thatexperience?
How have you been able to takethat moment in your life and be
(14:29):
able to apply it to things thatyou've done now over the years?
Jillian (14:35):
That's a great question.
Yeah.
So this was done back in 2017.
So I think I would say it wouldlike rewired my thinking.
So like eight years later, Istill remember what it took to
get up there.
So it kind of pushed me to likedo things I didn't think I was
going to be able to do.
Just I went back to school in2020.
(14:57):
I got my MBA, taking a businessclass.
And I business.
It's something I had never donebefore, but I'm like one day
maybe I'll need it and maybeI'll open up my own travel
agency.
So it stretched me to learn newskills because my passion is
teaching.
I am a teacher, but I don'tknow how long I was going to be
a teacher.
So it just like stretched meand like forced me to do things.
(15:22):
I didn't I didn't think I couldin the past.
So climbing this mountain, itjust brings me back to a moment
of like strength.
Like, okay, if I climb MountKilimanjaro, I can do these hard
things.
This was like no big deal.
So it just like makes merevisit that moment when I need
that like moment to think about,okay, why can't I do this?
(15:43):
If I climb Kilimanjaro, it justtakes me back to...
to that.
And I know I could still likechallenge myself and do things I
haven't done before because ofclimbing this mountain.
Genevieve (15:54):
Yeah.
And I know you said there was asaying that they would say pole
pole.
Jillian (16:00):
Yes.
Genevieve (16:01):
What?
Jillian (16:02):
So in Swahili, pole pole means like slowly, slowly.
So the porters, everybody wouldjust say this and remind us
because in life, you can't gotoo fast.
You make mistakes.
So sometimes it's just like, anadvice in itself, like a life
lesson.
So you kind of like rushthrough everything.
Sometimes things happen whenthey're supposed to happen,
(16:22):
right?
So like it could apply to likeyour relationship, like your
career, your even like healing.
So in a world like today, wewant everything like, okay,
fast, like give me the fastspeed, like everything as soon
as you want.
But sometimes life isn't likethat.
So it taught me patience,right?
(16:43):
More patience.
So the most beautiful momentsare with patience.
So in Kilimanjaro, yeah, theywould say, okay, pole, pole.
So I think it is like a mantraI live by now.
So it's with your intention,with your heart and trust the
process.
And I guess it maybe led meinto like yoga now too, because
I always like those highintensity workouts, but then
(17:05):
like with yoga, you really feelgrounded and in the moment and
just take everything a littleslower.
So you could just be presentand Yeah.
So it's something that stuckwith me.
Genevieve (17:17):
And that's great advice, too, because I think
I've started to adopt thebreathe in four counts, breathe
out four counts and really justtake a moment because there's
been a lot of stuff in my life,as you know, just crazy that I
just need to take that.
Yeah, so I love that.
(17:41):
And ever since you told meabout that, I want to be able to
adopt that as well.
So just to kind of conclude,how does this chapter fit into
the bigger story of who Jillianis now?
Jillian (17:57):
Well, it could be a rare chapter for me.
I could describe it like aturning point in my life, not
because the story...
because the story changed, butbecause it revealed who the
narrator was.
And I was the narrator in thestory.
So basically before that climb,I thought strength was about
like how much I could carry.
(18:18):
Like Dave was like, oh, Icarried all these rucksacks and
ran these marches.
But it wasn't about how muchyou could carry.
After the climb, I realizedit's about how much you're
willing to let go.
It's about letting go.
Let go of that fear.
Let go of that control, yourego.
Let go of the doubt.
and keep climbing.
So that's how it fits into mybigger story.
(18:40):
Those exact words of justletting go sometimes.
Genevieve (18:45):
I couldn't tell you how excited I've been to
interview you and have you sharethis because this is a message
I think so many of us can take.
Well, hearing how this chapterfits in the bigger story, this
is truly inspiring.
And it's a reminder that themountains that we climb, both
literally and metaphorically,shape us in ways we don't always
(19:06):
see in the moment.
So I want to thank Jillian forcoming on with me and sharing
her heart, sharing her story,and sharing how she just moves
strength through life.
If you want to connect withJillian and follow more of her
journeys and travels, you canfind her on social media and I
will link those in the shownotes.
And before we go, I wanted toshare one fun fact about
(19:30):
Jillian.
Can you share with us, Jillian,about your one, of course, your
goal to travel the world, butwhat was the other hobby that I
want everybody to know?
Jillian (19:41):
Oh, yes.
Another favorite hobby of oursbesides traveling.
Eventually, I do want to climball seven summits, just get to
the base of Everest.
And as we're traveling aroundthe world to do an escape room
in every place possible.
So we've accomplished doing anescape room and all over Europe.
And we just set the record pastDecember of completing an
(20:04):
escape room in all 50 states.
So we're going to keep ongoing.
exploring the world slowly,slowly as long as we can because
we don't have all the vacationdays.
But that is our next goal tosee all the seven continents,
climb all the seven summits andvisit the world.
Genevieve (20:24):
So awesome.
Well, make sure you all followher on social media because I
just live vicariously throughall of your amazing travels.
All right.
Thanks, Jillian.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
(20:57):
If this episode made you feelsomething, share it with a
friend.
Leave a quick review or comesay hi on social media.
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Until next time, take care ofyourself, keep listening, and
(21:20):
remember the stories we holdclose are often the ones that
connect us the most.
Some milestones in life are easy to spot.
Big wins, big moments, and thekinds of things people cheer
for.
But what we don't always see isthe meaning behind them.
The hard stuff that came beforeand the way those moments
changed us afterward.
My guest today is my goodfriend Jillian.
And she climbed MountKilimanjaro.
(00:21):
But what makes her story reallyspecial isn't just the
mountain.
It's what that climb meant toher.
what pushed her up there, whatshe carried with her to the top,
and how that moment has stuckwith her through life's ups and
downs ever since.
Jillian's got big dreams, liketraveling the world and doing
every escape room she can find.
(00:42):
But today, she's here to talkabout the hidden chapters behind
her climb and what it's taughther about facing fear, finding
strength, and moving throughtough moments with a whole lot
of heart.
Okay, so hey Jillian, welcometo Hidden Chapters.
So let's start with what ledyou to this moment.
(01:04):
What was happening in your lifebefore you decided to climb
Mount Kilimanjaro?
Jillian (01:10):
Well, hi, Genevieve.
Thank you for asking.
I'm so happy to be here and bea guest on your Hidden Chapters.
So Pilar Manjaro, it was reallya tough climb.
What led me to there was I justwanted to challenge myself and
believe myself and just showmyself that I had this strength
in me, this mental strength inme.
(01:30):
And I just wanted to prove tomyself that no matter what, I
will not give up.
So what led me to this is justjust a challenge that I wanted
to prove to myself, that I havethis mental endurance, this
resiliency, this belief, and Iwanted to prove that I could
just be stronger than what I hadshown others.
(01:54):
I just wanted to do this formyself.
Genevieve (01:56):
Right, so that was that personal drive that you
were talking about.
Oh,
Jillian (01:59):
yes.
Genevieve (02:00):
So what did this climb symbolize for you?
It
Jillian (02:04):
symbolized determination, for sure, and
perseverance.
I wanted to show what'spossible with focus and the
heart.
And I wanted to prove that I'mcapable, I'm strong to do tough
things.
So it was more than just like aphysical challenge.
It was more of inner strengthand believing in myself that I
(02:26):
could do this, accomplish thisgoal that I had for like a year
now that my husband, hechallenged me because it all
started off.
I challenged him to do amarathon.
He's like, You made me do amarathon.
Let's see if you could do,let's see if you could climb a
mountain now.
I'm like, okay, I think I coulddo it.
Let's go.
So I was just trying to proveto myself and to him that no
(02:49):
matter what I am, I'm going todo this.
I'm going to climb thismountain.
I just didn't know all thedetails that are involved in
climbing this mountain.
So I actually wrote a storyabout the summit of strength
that happened.
led me to climbing thismountain so would you like to
hear it yes yes yes i would okayso let me start by also
(03:11):
mentioning that i am not an avidclimber i've never climbed a
mountain this high before but ido have an active lifestyle and
a very adventurous spirit okayhere we go this is the story of
the summit of strength i stoodat the base of mount kilimanjaro
staring up its peak It'spiercing through the sky.
(03:31):
It was so surreal to think thatin just six days, I would be at
the top, reaching 19,341 feet.
I had promised myself beforeeven taking the first step, I
would not quit no matter what.
The journey was grueling.
Six days without a shower,sleeping in a tent with nothing
but a sleeping bag to separateme from the hard ground.
(03:52):
Each day was a slow and steadyclimb.
We had porters that would helpus carry our items such as food
and our tent, and my body wasadjusting to the thinning air.
My mind locked into a singlegoal, reach the summit.
It was all about mydetermination to get there.
Luckily, the porters, theywould remind us which means
(04:13):
slowly, slowly.
We just had to take small stepsbecause as you get higher in
elevation, it just feels likeyou're breathing out of a straw.
The final push began atmidnight.
We layered up against thefreezing temperatures and set
off under the glover headlamps.
The wind was relentless,howling through the darkness,
cutting through my clothes andchilling me to the bone.
(04:34):
The terrain was otherworldly.
Endless and eerie, as if wewere walking on a distant
planet.
My mind was strong, but mybody, that was another story.
At about 18,000 feet, that'swhere my altitude sickness, it
hit me like a freight train.
I felt so sick to my stomach.
My strength was draining in aninstant.
(04:54):
I had no choice, but I had toscramble behind a rock, my body
betraying me in the mosthumbling way possible.
I felt so weak, embarrassed,but as I struggled, my husband
stood by me, shielding me fromthe wind and from the world.
It wasn't just a physicalendurance I needed.
It was the support of thepeople and my husband around me.
Later on, I found out I wasn'talone in this.
(05:17):
Others in the group had facedthe same battle, stepping away
silently, suffering in their ownways.
Others even making their waydown the mountain.
But in the end, this is what noone talked about.
That's the thing.
When people share theirstories, they talk about
triumph, the breathtakingsunrise, the bucket list moment
of standing on the top ofAfrica.
(05:37):
They do not talk about thesuffering, the breakdowns, the
raw and filtered struggle ittakes to literally get to the
top.
But that's what makes thesummit worth it.
Not just the view, but theknowledge that I endured.
That I kept going.
Even when my body wanted togive up, my mind refused.
Climbing Kilimanjaro didn'tjust show me a spectacular
(06:00):
sunrise.
It showed me that I'm capableof more than I ever imagined.
It was truly surreal standingon the top of the world's
tallest freestanding mountain.
Reminded me I could do hardthings and I always will.
So honestly, like the summit isjust a moment of great
achievement and accomplishment.
And it sets in.
It takes time to set in.
(06:20):
Like weeks later, you reallyunderstand what it takes to get
there.
That's my story.
Genevieve (06:27):
So I know that when we were prepping for this, you
sharing that with me for thefirst time, and I just knew that
your story could resonate withso many people.
But even hearing it the secondtime, it is amazing what you
did.
And I love that you have thisstory.
And I think it is a lesson thatwe can all take, right, of just
(06:48):
not giving up all of thechallenges that we have in life.
So I want to ask you, you saidyou just kept going.
But in those climbs, you hademotions and things that you
weren't expecting.
So take us back to that just alittle bit about those days that
you had that were hard.
And so what emotions ormemories did it bring up that
(07:12):
you weren't expecting?
Jillian (07:13):
Oh, yes.
Great question.
That really takes me back tothe very moment.
Like every day, it just becamea little harder and harder.
Like your stomach would turn.
You couldn't eat certainthings.
Like the weather was likedifferent types of climate.
Like in Kilimanjaro, they havedifferent like microclimates.
Like you see the desert, likethe tundra, and then you're like
(07:37):
up in the clouds.
Yeah, so...
There's a lot of struggles.
There's silent struggles.
There's moments of like fearand frustration.
And you're just in yourthoughts wondering, like, do you
really have enough strength tofinish?
Like there's those momentsyou're like you're exhausted.
You're overwhelmed.
It's like I would describe itas like a mental tug of war.
(07:58):
Like, why am I really here?
What am I doing?
Why am I doing this?
And as the days pass, yourealize you're here because you
can, it's just like, it's amental battle.
It's those tiny decisions thatyou hear like, okay, one more
step, just breathe.
You could do this one morehour.
Just, it's just an incrediblecommunity that, um, helps you
(08:22):
build that strength and likethose porters that like guide us
and luckily they are holdinglike our heavy equipment like
our tent and there's people thathave food for us and cook for
us and we have to just staystrong we have our walking
sticks and our backpacks butthen you see others like I even
saw a guy with his friends ortour group he had no legs and he
(08:47):
was climbing this mountain ofcourse they're holding him but
he still is feeling like we'refeeling we can't we can't live
we can't breathe it's just sohigh up so it's just those
moments that bring me back likethose struggles and the fears
i'm like okay no matter whatlike let's let's go we're gonna
do this no matter how many likecold nights we had we're just
(09:12):
pushing through every daymentally and physically, but
more mentally challenging, ofcourse.
Genevieve (09:17):
Wow.
Well, I think the importantpart of that too, is you weren't
doing this alone.
You know, you had your husbandwith you, you had people with
you and think, no, I couldn't dothat journey without having
people supporting me on that.
So looking and connecting tothe hidden chapters themes, you
look back at the pictures andthe stories that you can tell,
but what, what part of thisjourney isn't visible in the
(09:39):
photos or the stories that youusually tell?
Jillian (09:43):
That is a very thoughtful question because
Kilimanjaro, it's like a journeythat happens like inside.
It's behind those photos or thehighlights and the reels and
Instagram.
It's like I had mentioned, itis a silent struggle and it's a
bond that you go through withlike the strangers and the group
of people that were there withus.
(10:03):
But for me also, it was like atransformation.
I left my old self, my oldversion of myself on the
mountain and And I just felt anew sense of pride and joy.
I felt stronger, lighter, moreclear.
You let go of some baggage andyou realize what is really
(10:26):
important in life.
So it's just like an innershift.
It's hard to explain, but it'snearly impossible to see in a
photograph all the things likeyour mind and your body change.
So it doesn't show the grit,your inner battles, those
victories and the soul work thathappens each step of the way.
(10:46):
Yeah.
Genevieve (10:47):
So you said you left a little piece of your old
version of yourself behind.
What was the old version ofyourself?
Jillian (10:54):
So back then, sometimes I wouldn't be as
confident.
I would just feel like, oh, Idon't know if I could do that.
I don't know if I'm strongenough.
I would just have likeself-doubt in me because I've
just never done that before.
And I didn't really know I hadthat in me, that courage.
So I felt like after each daythat passed by, I just felt like
(11:19):
I made a new person throughthis journey.
So I just said, Like I couldprove myself wrong just climbing
this mountain.
I left the doubt and the fearsbehind.
Genevieve (11:34):
what did it feel like coming down that mountain
after six days
Jillian (11:38):
yeah going up was a lot harder like those six days
or like long hours like webarely slept it was just like we
had to climb high sleep low sowe would climb a day like six to
eight hours at least a day andthen have to climb a little
lower to get used to theelevation so we we set up our
tents and had our dinners and itwas just a beautiful moment
(12:00):
just looking up at the starsconversating with our group no
technology so it was very verybeautiful peaceful times so
climbing up the mountain was alot more challenging of course
took longer and then coming downit was just like it was
incredible how like the timelike it only takes one pretty
(12:21):
much one day to come down so youfinally reach the top and
you're there just enjoying theview for a little while like
maybe the most like 30 minutesbecause we're like okay we still
need to climb all the way downbut Like, it's just a different,
like, feeling.
You feel, like, a sense ofoverwhelmment and gratitude that
you made it to the top.
And at the end, like, you startfeeling a little sad that this
(12:43):
journey is sort of over.
Like, oh, my God, all thesebeautiful moments we had.
So it's like a bittersweetfeeling, I guess you could say.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it was just, like, a lot ofpride and a bittersweet moment.
Genevieve (12:58):
Yeah.
Yeah.
That is great.
And how did you recover?
I know you said it was aphysical as well as a mental
battle going up.
And then you said it took you aday to come down.
Did you have to have anotherweek to recover?
What was the time frame?
Jillian (13:15):
actually didn't like take too long as we were coming
down like we had like differentweathers as well so one day it
was super one hour was likesuper sunny the next hour
started like raining on us andit got really windy but when we
finally came down we just had tolike adjust a little bit I
guess to the elevation but Ifelt my stomach felt settled we
(13:38):
were just starving by the timewe finished and wanted to take a
shower so bad so we just Yeah,I settled into a hotel and took
it easy.
Like nothing mentally orphysical, no injuries or nothing
like that, thank God.
So we just had a sense of likegratitude and fulfillment.
So once we finished climbingthis mountain, it just carried
(14:02):
us over through the days.
We just felt so grateful andhappy that we were able to do
this with a group of people.
Genevieve (14:09):
So thinking about the mountain, Climbed the
mountain, you proved to yourselfyou could do these things and
you came down the mountain.
This was done eight years ago.
What changed you since thatexperience?
How have you been able to takethat moment in your life and be
(14:29):
able to apply it to things thatyou've done now over the years?
Jillian (14:35):
That's a great question.
Yeah.
So this was done back in 2017.
So I think I would say it wouldlike rewired my thinking.
So like eight years later, Istill remember what it took to
get up there.
So it kind of pushed me to likedo things I didn't think I was
going to be able to do.
Just I went back to school in2020.
(14:57):
I got my MBA, taking a businessclass.
And I business.
It's something I had never donebefore, but I'm like one day
maybe I'll need it and maybeI'll open up my own travel
agency.
So it stretched me to learn newskills because my passion is
teaching.
I am a teacher, but I don'tknow how long I was going to be
a teacher.
So it just like stretched meand like forced me to do things.
(15:22):
I didn't I didn't think I couldin the past.
So climbing this mountain, itjust brings me back to a moment
of like strength.
Like, okay, if I climb MountKilimanjaro, I can do these hard
things.
This was like no big deal.
So it just like makes merevisit that moment when I need
that like moment to think about,okay, why can't I do this?
(15:43):
If I climb Kilimanjaro, it justtakes me back to...
to that.
And I know I could still likechallenge myself and do things I
haven't done before because ofclimbing this mountain.
Genevieve (15:54):
Yeah.
And I know you said there was asaying that they would say pole
pole.
Jillian (16:00):
Yes.
Genevieve (16:01):
What?
Jillian (16:02):
So in Swahili, pole pole means like slowly, slowly.
So the porters, everybody wouldjust say this and remind us
because in life, you can't gotoo fast.
You make mistakes.
So sometimes it's just like, anadvice in itself, like a life
lesson.
So you kind of like rushthrough everything.
Sometimes things happen whenthey're supposed to happen,
(16:22):
right?
So like it could apply to likeyour relationship, like your
career, your even like healing.
So in a world like today, wewant everything like, okay,
fast, like give me the fastspeed, like everything as soon
as you want.
But sometimes life isn't likethat.
So it taught me patience,right?
(16:43):
More patience.
So the most beautiful momentsare with patience.
So in Kilimanjaro, yeah, theywould say, okay, pole, pole.
So I think it is like a mantraI live by now.
So it's with your intention,with your heart and trust the
process.
And I guess it maybe led meinto like yoga now too, because
I always like those highintensity workouts, but then
(17:05):
like with yoga, you really feelgrounded and in the moment and
just take everything a littleslower.
So you could just be presentand Yeah.
So it's something that stuckwith me.
Genevieve (17:17):
And that's great advice, too, because I think
I've started to adopt thebreathe in four counts, breathe
out four counts and really justtake a moment because there's
been a lot of stuff in my life,as you know, just crazy that I
just need to take that.
Yeah, so I love that.
(17:41):
And ever since you told meabout that, I want to be able to
adopt that as well.
So just to kind of conclude,how does this chapter fit into
the bigger story of who Jillianis now?
Jillian (17:57):
Well, it could be a rare chapter for me.
I could describe it like aturning point in my life, not
because the story...
because the story changed, butbecause it revealed who the
narrator was.
And I was the narrator in thestory.
So basically before that climb,I thought strength was about
like how much I could carry.
(18:18):
Like Dave was like, oh, Icarried all these rucksacks and
ran these marches.
But it wasn't about how muchyou could carry.
After the climb, I realizedit's about how much you're
willing to let go.
It's about letting go.
Let go of that fear.
Let go of that control, yourego.
Let go of the doubt.
and keep climbing.
So that's how it fits into mybigger story.
(18:40):
Those exact words of justletting go sometimes.
Genevieve (18:45):
I couldn't tell you how excited I've been to
interview you and have you sharethis because this is a message
I think so many of us can take.
Well, hearing how this chapterfits in the bigger story, this
is truly inspiring.
And it's a reminder that themountains that we climb, both
literally and metaphorically,shape us in ways we don't always
(19:06):
see in the moment.
So I want to thank Jillian forcoming on with me and sharing
her heart, sharing her story,and sharing how she just moves
strength through life.
If you want to connect withJillian and follow more of her
journeys and travels, you canfind her on social media and I
will link those in the shownotes.
And before we go, I wanted toshare one fun fact about
(19:30):
Jillian.
Can you share with us, Jillian,about your one, of course, your
goal to travel the world, butwhat was the other hobby that I
want everybody to know?
Jillian (19:41):
Oh, yes.
Another favorite hobby of oursbesides traveling.
Eventually, I do want to climball seven summits, just get to
the base of Everest.
And as we're traveling aroundthe world to do an escape room
in every place possible.
So we've accomplished doing anescape room and all over Europe.
And we just set the record pastDecember of completing an
(20:04):
escape room in all 50 states.
So we're going to keep ongoing.
exploring the world slowly,slowly as long as we can because
we don't have all the vacationdays.
But that is our next goal tosee all the seven continents,
climb all the seven summits andvisit the world.
Genevieve (20:24):
So awesome.
Well, make sure you all followher on social media because I
just live vicariously throughall of your amazing travels.
All right.
Thanks, Jillian.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
(20:57):
If this episode made you feelsomething, share it with a
friend.
Leave a quick review or comesay hi on social media.
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Until next time, take care ofyourself, keep listening, and
(21:20):
remember the stories we holdclose are often the ones that
connect us the most.
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