November 8, 2023 • 42 mins
Get ready to embark on an extraordinary journey with our courageous guest, Jennifer Drummond, a mom of seven turned renowned mountaineer. You'll discover how her life was dramatically altered by a car accident, prompting a radical reassessment of her life's trajectory. Now, as she fearlessly ascends the world's second-highest summits, she shares her wisdom on living a life driven by purpose, joy, and adventure.
From a mother navigating a bustling household to a thriving business owner, Jenn's journey is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Listen in as she shares her audacious decision to scale Mount Everest for her 40th birthday, challenging personal limitations and defying societal norms. We delve into her training regimen, her creative strategies for staying motivated, and how she documented her unprecedented journey in a captivating book. Going beyond climbing, Jenn unravels her toolkit for managing difficult moments and her dedication to living in the present.
Jennifer's story isn't just about conquering physical peaks. It's about harnessing the power of community, the importance of a supportive team, and lessons learned in the pursuit of personal goals and dreams. Join us as we celebrate overcoming obstacles, reaching new heights, and explore the transformative journey of self-discovery. Prepare to be inspired by her infectious bravery, unshakeable commitment, and her unwavering belief in the importance of living a life full of joy.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the Middle-Age-ish podcast,
authentically andunapologetically, keeping it
real, discussing all thingsmiddle-age-ish, a time when
metabolism slows and confidencegrows.
Join fashion and fitnessentrepreneur Ashley Bedosky,
former Celtic woman and founderof the Lisa Kelly Voice Academy,
lisa Kelly, licensedpsychologist and mental health
(00:24):
expert, dr Pam Wright, andhighly sought-after cosmetic
injector and board certifiednurse practitioner, trisha
Kennedy-Roman.
Join your hosts on the journeyof Middle-Age-ish.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode
of Middle-Age-ish podcast.
I'm Trisha Kennedy-Roman andI'm joined here today with my
co-host, ashley Bedosky, lisaKelly and Dr Pam Wright, and
tonight we are joined with JenDrummond.
We're super excited to have her.
She is just an absolutego-getter, a mom of seven, oh
Lee Cow Business owner.
She's got a book out now andshe's.
(01:01):
I'm excited to talk to youabout the seven second summit,
because that was and that isamazing.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We want to learn all about it.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Just a high achiever but has a really great alloc on
life, and so we are excited tolearn from you this evening.
So thank you for being here,jen, I'm excited.
Thanks for having me.
So we were talking, first ofall, we were talking about
having all of us have a lot ofdogs and kids too, but seven
kids, that is enough to keep youbusy.
Right there it is.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
It is.
It can be all consuming if youallow it to be.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
That's true, that's true.
So what are the age ranges?
Speaker 4 (01:32):
So my oldest will be 17 on October 20, and then my
youngest are twin girls that are10.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
Oh my, oh my.
So you've like seven in?
Oh my gosh, seven years span,that's a lot, holy cow.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So that's not just seven, that's seven in seven,
that's a lot.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
There's a lot.
There's a seven in seven,that's for sure.
Wow, and just one set of twins.
One set of twins.
So I have five boys and thentwin girls, oh my goodness.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
So cute though.
So they are the familyprincesses.
Yep, yes.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Thank God they came as a pair, so otherwise one
might be in therapy for life.
So we got that going for us.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
So true.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Wow, Well, and that is something we're talking in a
previous podcast about howreally our generation is kind of
the generation that tried to doboth to have a career and to
have the children.
You really, I mean you right,there is a full-time job with
the seven kids, but you've beena really successful business
owner and just really thrivingin the business world, and so I
know that that you knowbalancing all that can be quite,
(02:34):
quite a lot.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, and lucky for me, I got into the business
world right out of college andgot into finance and learned how
to leverage that and hiredmyself out of a job when I
started having kids.
So I do have a job, but I ammore removed than some other
people are, and even that's astruggle, right?
(02:56):
I can't even imagine doing itmore, and most people do it more
than I do, so cheers toeverybody that's in that
position.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
When having a podcast , you always listen to your
podcast and I think it's great.
By the way, One thing you said,it really stood out to me and
how you know, a lot of times inlife and I'm very guilty of this
you always think, once Iachieve this, then I'll be happy
, Once I achieve this, then I'llbe happy, and you're constantly
, you know, seeking the nextthing.
I've talked about that manytimes, and so I love that you
hit on that, that that'ssomething that you finally
(03:23):
realize that that's not the keyto you know, owning your life
and to being happy.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Yeah, no, you do not want an.
If, then clause on happinessfor sure.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, no, if then clause I like that.
So true.
And so if you can tell us justa little bit about your story,
because I think it's, it's areally great story and as far as
how you've really given yourlife a lot more purpose and
meaning and taking a break, yes,yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
So you know, I think we all hit plateaus in life and
something wakes us up orsomething causes us to pivot.
Mine happened to be a car wreckthat should have taken my life
and didn't, and instead it wokeme up to the idea of I don't get
to choose when I die, but Isure get to choose how I live.
And am I really living rightnow?
(04:08):
And I would say I was more orless going through the boxes and
just checking off the things todo and told myself I would get
back to living when my kids gotto college, because that's when
I'd have time to do it again andI just felt like I had to be
waiting in the wings ifsomething was wrong, that I
could always be there.
Well, after that car accident Ilooked at my life and like what
(04:28):
I want this life on for any ofmy children and the answer was a
hard no.
And I'm like I want todemonstrate what a full body yes
Looks like to them.
I want them to see a mom who'sthriving and loving life and
being a good mom, and so thatreally caused me to pivot and
start paying attention to myselfagain and what I was interested
(04:51):
in doing and what set my hearton fire.
And we even had a discussionabout it.
I said, okay, guys, mom's kindof been slacking on herself.
I'm going to start doing somethings, like I'm excited it's
going to shift things aroundhere, but we can have
conversations around it and it'sgoing to be messy, but we'll
figure it out.
And everybody's like okay, sure.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Oh nice.
Yeah, we talked about thatbefore, just about how, as moms,
we can often feel guilty forself care, but how really
important that is to be able tobe good moms, to be able to be
good wives, business leaders youknow everything that we do to
be able to fully function.
We have to take care ofourselves.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Yeah, yeah, we use it like I'm self full instead of
selfish, and so am I still fullto be able to help everybody
else.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
I love that.
I mean I do Like, like Trishasaid, I mean we know so many
moms that don't see it that wayand as soon as, like you talked
about when you do that pivot, Imean it really is life changing
and you, like your kids, see itand they grow in that strength
and that love and thatcontentment and that peace.
(05:55):
It's just making that pivot.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
It seems to be so hard for women our age, oh, we
think for some of us, yeah, andwe think about it like when
we're looking at environments,we're looking for environmental
cues, like is mom happy?
Okay, mom's happy, I havepermission to be happy, but if
mom is always, on hustle and doand check off the list and this
is like what it looks like thenlike it's hard to for other
(06:19):
people to be themselves in thatenvironment because you have
that energy in the space.
Speaker 6 (06:24):
I love the fact I'm a psychologist, but I love the
fact that you said we're goingto have a conversation about it.
So, like you included thefamily, and not just like, hey,
this is what I'm doing, which iswhat a lot of people do, right,
like that's what I'm doing andwe're have to adjust, but it's
more, hey, let's have aconversation.
This is what I'm thinking.
How will you guys react?
What do you think?
And it's important, it is.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
it is we have state of the unions is what we call
them.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
Freaking love family chat.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
There's an influencer on Instagram and I can't think
of her name right now, but Iwatch her all the time.
I have mom envy, which ishorrible, but she just has it
all together, but they have.
She treats her household like abusiness because I mean, that's
the most important businesswe'll have and they have family
meetings weekly and I thoughtthat was really cool.
They sit down they plan out theweek and you know just like if
you have a corporate businessmeeting important meeting.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Yeah, it's so important to do that, so
important to check in with yourkids, but they're so versatile
as well.
I often find that with withchildren, like you think it's
going to be so detrimental tothem or it's going to be a huge
upheaval, but they're really,really good.
They're nearly better than weare at pivoting.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Oh, I think they are better.
I was like they are definitelybetter at pivoting, for sure.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Yeah, I mean I went to climb Everest and I remember
like my biggest hesitation was Ican't be gone for my kids for
three weeks, maybe four weeks.
That's never happened.
That's not okay.
A good mom doesn't leave herkids for three weeks.
And I had to wrestle with thatlimiting belief in my head.
I'm like, okay, well, is thereanother option?
And when I started gettingcurious about other options, I'm
(07:51):
like like a grandma can comeand this person can help and all
these things can be taken careof.
I went to the kids school.
I talked to their teacher and Isaid, hey, I'm going to be gone
.
They might be off a little bit,can you give them a little bit
of grace?
And the teacher is like you'reclimbing Everest.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
I said yeah, see, I'm thinking you're better mom than
me, because I would be moreworried about the height.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
I'm like yeah, I'm climbing Everest.
And she's like, can you come inand teach the kids about
studying an Everest like goal?
And then we can.
And I had a tracking device onme while I was climbing, so they
made this mountain and then theschool could track me and where
I was and we talked about goalsetting and like everybody was
(08:31):
super involved and when Iclimbed that mountain it's like
the whole school is climbing,the whole community is climbing,
Like everybody was involved andknew.
And I came back my kids arelike thrilled with me for a day
and then everything was back tonormal.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Right.
They're like can you go awayagain, like don't you have
something else to do?
Right.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
I'm the one who's like sitting at base camp with
nothing to do like bumming thatI'm not with them.
They have all their activities,they have all their things
going on, blah, blah, blah, blah.
And it was actually like areally good experience for all
of us because they got to seewhat happens when mom's gone and
how many other people lovedthem and step up to the plate
and they felt seen and heard bymy entire community.
(09:09):
It was a really magicalexperience.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
That's amazing.
Let's backtrack because I'm onthe world did you?
Speaker 2 (09:16):
have you always been a thrill seeker or liked a hike?
Or how in the world were youhiking?
Speaker 3 (09:19):
A climber like how do you just be like I'm gonna do
air climbers, yeah, like us.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
Yeah, no, it was crazy.
So I had climbed one mountainbefore.
It was like a mountain inJackson Hole called the Grand
Teton.
And when I was going through mybucket list in 2019 after
surviving that car wreck, like,okay, what are all the things I
want to see?
Do experience become try?
And I had this huge list ofeverything from sea of pyramid,
climb a mountain, you know, putmy feet in the water, and San
(09:46):
Diego and in Africa and allthese things right.
And so 2020 was coming and I wasturning 40.
I go, I want to climb amountain for my 40th birthday,
because that looks likesomething that would be great to
launch this next decade.
So I asked friends that wereinto mountaineering if you could
climb one mountain in the wholeworld, what mountain would it
be?
And the general consensus was amountain named Amma de Blom,
(10:11):
and if anybody's watched aParamount Pictures movie, you've
seen that mountain, becauseit's part of their logo, it has
all the stars around it and itmeans the mother's necklace.
I'm like, perfect, I'm gonnaclimb Amma de Blom.
Well, covid hits and I'm notclimbing anything.
And I'm a homeschool teacher toseven children because schools
are shut down and so I'm doinghomework with one of my sons and
(10:32):
he's struggling, so I'm givinghim the proverbial parent pep
talk we do our things.
You've got this and he looks atme and he goes if we do our
things, why are you climbing amountain called I'm a dumb
blonde instead of a real top endlike.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Mount Everest.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
I'm like Amma de Blom , honey, not, I'm a dumb blonde,
what's that mean that's you.
That's you.
You got a lot of children.
Yes, that little punk.
So I looked at Everest.
I called the coach.
He's like yes, I can get youready.
He sends me a book aboutbecoming an uphill athlete.
I read this book and in thefront of it there was a forward
(11:06):
about a lady who got a Guinnessworld record for doing something
in the Alps.
And during my call with mycoach I was like I don't know, I
think homeschooling wasn'tgoing well and I'm like if I
could have done that, I wouldhave gotten the coolest mom
award ever.
My kids learned how to read andGuinness world record books.
He's like I'll think ofsomething.
Like, okay, fine, but I'm notgrowing pumpkins or speed eating
(11:27):
hot dogs or any of those otherweird things that people do to
get into that record book.
He's like no, worries.
And a few weeks later he comesback and he's like Jen, I have
the perfect record for you.
I'm like okay.
He's like I think you should bethe first female to climb the
seven second summits.
I'm like seven, seven, huh,what?
What are you even talking about?
(11:47):
He's like listen, he goes.
The seven second summits arethe second highest point on each
of the seven continents.
They're harder than the firstseven.
It's only been done by one male, so you'd be the first female
to do it.
And he goes.
Let's be honest sevencontinents, seven mountains,
seven children it sounds like ajackpot.
And for me, like after my caraccident, I kind of had three
(12:09):
things I wanted to do hardthings, experience the world and
inspire others, and I felt thispursuit did that.
So I said yes, wow.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
Were you always athletic.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Like did you?
It's not easy, Like it's notjust something that I think me
let's just go do this.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Yeah, I mean, I was definitely always an athlete.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
So, that foundation definitely helped.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
So how do you train for like?
I know there's like where do weeven start?
Speaker 6 (12:38):
With so many questions.
How and when do you train?
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Yeah, right, exactly.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
So, the win was more of a struggle than the how Right
, Definitely.
So.
I live in Park City, Utah,which is great because we're a
mountain town which gives me alot of hiking options and things
like that.
But time was an issue, so Iwould go to soccer games and I'd
be that mom with a 12 inch stepand a backpack full of water
bottles and during that hour anda half game I'd be doing step
(13:05):
ups on that step instead ofsitting and watching, because it
allowed me to be there for myson and allowed me to still work
on my goal and Zoom calls.
If I didn't have to be cameraready, they were done while I
was walking on a treadmill at anangle right.
Just, you get creative becauseit's what you want to do.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
I still can't, I just I can't get over.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
Yeah, I don't know if you heard what Trisha said, but
I'm still laughing at what shesaid.
She said I can't even climb onmy peloton, but it's just so
hard to find the time, andobviously the car crash probably
was a huge motivator as well.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Yeah, I need to learn right Like you're like okay, my
friends are like well, if Iwant to hang out with Jen, we're
going for a hike.
So do I feel like I could todayI'll call Jen and hang out right
.
If it's just it was a lot ofthat kind of stuff and just
being very scheduled and verydeliberate, because I mean I was
afraid.
Now that I look back at it it'skind of silly, but at the time
I was afraid I was going to die,like, if I'm not in physical
(14:08):
shape, I could be putting mylife at risk, and I'm not okay
with that Absolutely becausethat's what you hear about Like
it's no, like this is no joke.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
So what was your training time?
So, from when you made thiscommitment and you made this
decision, what did that trainingtime look like for when you set
foot on that massive mountain?
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Yeah, so when I climbed the first seven second
summit was in December of 2020and I summited the last one in
June 1st of 2023.
So it took me two and a halfyears to do the pursuit.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
So you are now like you have the record.
Yeah, yes, thank youCongratulations, that's awesome.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Yeah, and I'm still not cool if anybody's wondering,
still not cool, but that's allright, I am.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Kids are very humbling.
I know they are so humbling.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
We think they're very cool, that's really awesome.
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
I'm gonna be on there for the hot dog eating before.
I go Exactly.
Speaker 6 (15:03):
So what's your next goal?
Do you have a new like goal or?
Speaker 4 (15:06):
plan.
I wrote a book about theexperience to kind of share some
of the lessons that I learnedon the mountains to help people
achieve their goals, and soright now it's promoting the
book and doing speakingengagements and different fun
things like that.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And what was the?
Speaker 4 (15:19):
title of your book?
Yeah, it's called BreakproofSeven strategies to build
resilience and achieve your lifegoals.
Yeah, I like that, yeah, and thebreakproof is kind of playful,
right.
So I find that we all breakbecause we pushed past our
limits and that's where we hit abreaking point and it's in that
break that we have the proof ofwhat's working, what's not
working.
The time for reflection is thiseven the mountain that we wanna
(15:42):
climb, or is there somethingelse that we wanna do with our
lives and just have theseoptions to continue forward with
intention?
Speaker 6 (15:48):
So when you got to those moments that were really
hard.
What helped you push through?
Speaker 4 (15:54):
Oh everything.
I've tried every trick underthe book, because your brain is
like oh, you're tricking me,this doesn't work.
So I had a fear of heights,which would have been a nice
thing to know before I set outon this quest, but it didn't go
well up until I started climbingwhich was awesome.
And when you climb Everest,you've seen those ladder photos,
right when the ladder connectsthe two crevasses.
(16:16):
And I just remember sweatingprofusely when we got to this
area and I'm like I can't dothis, like I cannot do this, and
so I had to stop.
I'd give myself a pep talk.
Might have played a little bitof like vanilla ice for a little
pep talk music.
Oh, ice ice, baby.
Yes, yes, yes.
(16:37):
And then, when it's time to geton the ladder, I just remember
thinking, okay, the only thingthat I can control right now is
a safe step.
So I literally said out loudsafe step.
And I do a step, safe step, andI do a step, safe step, and I
do a step.
And I feel like that blockedout any negative thoughts, being
able to grab on to what I wasdoing, and it just allowed me to
(16:58):
really hone in and repeat thatmantra and just do that thing.
Then we got to the other side.
I mean, it was a dance party.
I was so excited, like I was achild at Christmas, I could not
and you get that confidenceright.
You're like, okay, I did that,scared, and I still did it Right
.
And here I am and guess what?
We can be scared, but thatdoesn't mean stop, it just means
(17:20):
like I'm doing the scared.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
So when you hit that, that last mountain and you hit
that record, what did that feellike?
Speaker 4 (17:27):
Yeah, so you get to the top and you take in the
deepest breath you can whenthere's no oxygen, so you need
it.
But you take in this deepbreath and when that breath
fills your body, everythingdisappears.
There's no time, there's nospace, there's no distance,
there's no separation.
You're just aw, you're just onewith everything.
(17:49):
And then you exhale and youslowly start to form again and
time shows up and separationappears and you sit with
yourself and you realize thatit's in the pursuit that we're
living life and you kind of takeyour soul out of your body and
you throw it back out into theuniverse and say I can't wait to
find you next, and down you goto play the game of hide and
(18:12):
seek and experience this worldas best as we can.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
I love that I have to live vicariously, I know.
Speaker 6 (18:19):
Yeah, Wow.
So what was your hardest?
Most difficult was Everest.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
No, actually Everest is not the most difficult, it's
just the most well known.
So, okay, you know they all hadlike unique challenges.
For sure, I would say MountLogan was probably our hardest,
which is unfair because MountLogan is the second highest
point for North America, so yourhome mountain should be your
(18:44):
easiest one, but it's reallychallenging because you have to
ski up it.
So, oh, wait, wait, oh dear,you have to ski it because it's
so long, it just takes forever.
So you put these like feltthings on the bottom of your
skis and then there's no trail,right, you're on this huge
glacier and really nobody's onthe mountain.
(19:06):
And so for you to take a stepforward because you don't know
if you're on a snow bridge ornot, like you just don't know
what's underneath you you takeyour ski pole and you poke into
the ground to the left of you,to the center of you and to the
right of you, and you hope thatpole gets rejected back, because
that means that the next stepyou take is safe.
And then you repeat that oh myGod, and you repeat that Wow,
(19:27):
and you repeat that.
And then you put bamboo sticksin to mark where you've gone.
So you have a trail to followback and when you build your
tent you have to build an iglooevery single time because the
winds get so strong that youcan't have the winds rip your
tent or you're going to be dead,because that's what's keeping
you warm at night, and so it'sjust so much work.
(19:49):
You get dropped off and then youset up your tent, you build
your igloo and then the next dayyou wake up, you ski some of
your stuff up the mountain, youbury it so it doesn't blow away.
You come back to your tent, yougo to bed and the next day you
wake up, you pack up your tent,you ski past where you buried
stuff, you set up camp again,build another igloo, go to bed
(20:11):
and you ski back down to getyour gear that you couldn't
carry all the way up because itwas too long, and you just like
inchworm up this mountain andyou're reading weather reports,
you're making decisions, you'remelting water so that you can
have food, and we did athree-man team and one of my
teammates got frostbite.
(20:31):
We had to be airlifted off witha long line so the helicopter
can't even land on the glacier,like it has to drop a line that
you strap a person to, becauseif it landed on the glacier,
there's not enough oxygen in theair for it to lift off again.
And so all of a sudden, nowthere's two of you left your
friends injured and you're justlike what am I doing?
Why couldn't I pick like theseven nicest beaches in the
(20:53):
world?
Like what was that Exactly, Imean?
I might have thought that, yes,wow.
So it's just crazy.
But where is my inch Logan?
My Logan is in Canada and it'son the border of Alaska and
Canada, but you have to enterfrom Canada.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
Oh wow, Nice.
Speaker 6 (21:09):
Cold.
So how long did that take?
That one took, like we weremaking record time.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
That one took 14 days and it's just long Like it's
tedious and it's work and it'swhatever.
But we and it took me two triesso we tried in 2022.
It was too cold to melt waterwith the burners, so Parks
Canada pulled us off themountain and said it was too
dangerous for us to continuewith the weather conditions, and
(21:37):
so then, when we went back in2023, we had entirely different
weather, which was amazingbecause it was a lot more
tolerable.
But then we had the frostbiteissue.
Yeah, it took two weeks, butyou know, it's a.
It's a crazy dichotomy of whensomething's hard and you
overcome it.
It's such a high right, Like ifeverything was easy.
you'd get bored and you want towant to play the game anymore.
(21:58):
So that challenge is justenough to push you to your
limits, and I think that's whereliving happens.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
But where do you go from, like climbing?
I just like where did you getyour next trial?
Speaker 4 (22:12):
Yes, yeah, I don't know.
Yet I don't know.
I will say that everybody askswhat's next and I'm like you
know what.
I'm trying to appreciate whatis Exactly.
And so I'm not answering thatquestion for another year, so
that I can just learn how toappreciate the home.
Speaker 5 (22:30):
Yeah, yeah, yep, it's amazing.
I had to reflect on what you'vedone because, I mean, I'm sure
it's quite surreal at the timewhen you're doing it as well.
Yeah and you're sad Becauseyou're in the moment.
Yeah, you're in a moment ofnervousness and worry and
anxiety.
I can just kind of imagine that.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Yeah, and then it's done right.
And all of a sudden you're alittle sad when it's done,
because that was so much focusand so much energy and so much I
don't know.
You just had so much purposeand all of a sudden it's done.
You're like wait, it's done.
Now, what you know and I'm likenow what is like learning the
mountain right now for me ischilling out, like just being
yes, yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:05):
Now you can check out the beaches.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
I'm in, I'm in, I'm sure it's going to take quite a
few beaches to figure out what,once the night is when you made
this announcement that you weregoing to do this.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
did you have a fear?
Once you said you were going todo it, that you'd not be able
to do it?
Speaker 4 (23:19):
1,000%.
I didn't even want to talkabout it.
Like I literally am like, oh,we'll just talk about it when
it's done.
And because I started thispursuit in COVID, my friends are
like no, you have to take us onthis journey with you because
it's the closest thing we'regoing to get to these
experiences.
And who cares if you don'tsummit?
We have enough Beyonce's andpeople that get to the top.
(23:41):
We want to know the real stuffthat goes on behind the scenes
and the making of these thingsand share that.
I was like, ok, that's a goodpoint.
So I was scared.
I mean, I was scared, but it'salso like it's never been done
by a female.
So if it doesn't get done, it'snot like somebody did it and I
couldn't Just it hasn't done yet.
So that kind of gave me alittle window of wiggle room.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
So with your book you obviously you tell the story
about.
Could you kind of tell whatbrought you to that point and
then kind of tell your readersthe process of doing it?
Speaker 4 (24:13):
Yeah.
So I take the readers into theexpedition, so every mountain is
covered and we kind of extractone lesson from each mountain
and then help them apply it totheir own lives.
So, for example, big mountainstake big teams.
So if you have a big goal, it'sgoing to take a big team for
you to bring that goal home.
(24:35):
And if you're feeling tired orexhausted or just don't want to
do it anymore, I encourage youto ask yourself like do I have
enough people helping me to makethis possible?
You know, like when you climbEverest, you have Sherpas that
help carry the weight.
I had to carry that weight allby myself all the way up to the
top.
It would have taken a lotlonger and it wouldn't have been
(24:57):
as much fun.
So if you have a big goal, likean Everest goal, do you have
people on your team to helplighten the load?
Speaker 5 (25:06):
Do your kids share the same interest?
Speaker 4 (25:08):
You know they do.
I'm going to take three of myboys climbing in Africa in
February.
We're going to go help out achair there and do a climb there
.
They're pretty excited about itand my daughters are probably
my best climbers, to be honestwith you.
So it's just fun to share theexperience with everybody,
because it gets you outside andit challenges you and you
(25:29):
support each other in thosetimes.
Speaker 5 (25:32):
That's amazing.
Just imagine my friends or myfamily if I turned around and
said I was going to climb aboutand they would all die of shock.
Speaker 4 (25:40):
Like who ate my mom.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Yeah, mine would be like.
Well cheers, mom, I'll see youon the other side.
Speaker 5 (25:47):
Oh yeah, yeah.
It's just incredible to me thatyou kind of like I know you
said you're athletic and allthat but that you kind of wake
up one day and go, no, this iswhat I want to do, and you do it
.
I just that kind ofperseverance and just I think
that's never really appreciatedin people either, that the
amount of work that goes into itto fulfilling what you want to
do it's.
You can have dreams, but toactually make them come true
(26:09):
just takes a lot of hard work.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Yeah, I talk about it in the book a little bit too,
about committing to thecommitment.
Once you say you're going to dosomething like that, that's
that decision's made.
Now it's how do we have fundoing it, how do we enjoy?
Speaker 5 (26:23):
it?
And were you always like thatas a person, though?
Or was this something new toyou?
Because I kind of feel like theolder I've gotten, we've talked
about, like you know, whenyou're middle aged and you just
get a whole lot braver than youever did but were you always
like this?
Speaker 4 (26:36):
I don't know.
I mean maybe a little bit.
I mean I definitely was drivenif anybody asked you.
But what happened after theaccident is like I gave probably
before the accident I was soafraid of failure and so like
viscoping life that I'll just doit harder twice as whatever to
make it happen.
And after the accident it waslike it doesn't even matter.
(26:58):
It doesn't even matter, if Isummit the mountain.
What matters is that I got upthere and tried it and I had the
experience of it and it reallychanged my perspective and
allowed me to enjoy the pursuitmuch more than being like we
have to do this because I said Iwould you know, yeah, so yeah,
it's just so inspiringIncredible Love it yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Well, I love how you talk, you know, on your website
and your podcast, about howlife's challenges are, when you
can really use those to andwe've had other guests talk
about that and use those to kindof catapult to to bigger things
and to really strengthenyourself, versus, you know,
being being break proof andletting it break you or or
letting it make you stronger.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And here's the thing aboutsharing the journey when you're
on the pursuit Like we love towave our flag at the top of the
mountain, like how many photoshave you seen online of somebody
like waving their flag becausethey got to the top?
But the reality is, if you'rebrave enough to wave your flag
down your and your entirejourney, you're letting the
world know, like, here's whatI'm trying to do, here's what I
(28:04):
need, here's how I can help.
So when I first listed thisexperience on Instagram, I was
actually saving Mount Kenya,which is in Africa, for the end,
because it's a 20 pitch rockclimb and, like rock climbing
isn't my best thing, and so I'mlike I just want a little more
experience.
But this charity reached out tome and said hey, listen, we have
(28:25):
an ambulance that we're tryingto deliver and, kenya, if you're
going to go there soon, wouldyou mind being the face of our
charity so that we don't have topay money to send somebody else
over?
I'm like, yeah, of course I'lldo that.
So I got to go over there andhelp deliver this ambulance.
Well, that charity knew somepeople that would be really good
for me to work with on themountain, so they helped me
(28:47):
figure that piece out and I juststarted training for that
earlier.
And so when people know whatyou're trying to do, you just
start attracting things thathelp you get possible, and you
have to wave your flag theentire time.
I mean, it's just part of it.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
That's just great, yeah, I think it's amazing.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Yeah, mine, that's a big thing that we we learn as we
get older that it's okay to askfor help and and to have that
team to support you, like that'sreally great.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
I think that's part of the lesson you know we always
talk about like a take, it doestake a village, I mean we're
not, we're never meant to walkthis journey alone.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
Yeah, I think of those.
It's also so important to showpeople the struggle and how hard
it is to redo what you do,because I think there's such
we're such an instant kind ofgratification time.
Like everybody you know you,even when you look at stuff like
American Idol or all thesethings, you just see the
audition process and then yousee them become a superstar and
(29:44):
you don't see the blood, thesweat and tears that go into
every part of everything thatyou're doing.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
There's no filter, yeah.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
It's just so important to share the journey
so that people know how hard itis.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
Yeah, no, and like when I climbed K2 in 2021, I
failed the first time.
What happened was is a personon my team got caught in an
avalanche and died, and so, allof a sudden, I was faced with,
like they offered me like heyJen, do you want to continue
climbing or do you want to goback down?
And like continue climbing.
We just had a teammate die.
(30:16):
I'm going to go back down andhelp take care of my team.
Are you kidding me?
This bowing is always going tobe here.
We need you know.
So I helped take care of myteam.
I flew back home.
My kids came home from camp afew days later and they're like
Mom, mom, did you summit?
I said no, I didn't, but I hadsuccess.
And they looked at me confusedand I'm like listen, guys who we
(30:37):
show up as people is way moreimportant than anything we're
ever going to achieve.
Right, absolutely, and I was onthe small end.
This horrific event happened,but I am proud of myself on how
I showed up and what I did, andI just want like this was the
lesson.
This is why this had to happen,so that people could see that
we need to always put peopleover peaks and whatever our
(30:59):
pursuits are.
And what's magical is that I'mmetabolizing this whole
situation.
I need to go back to K2 in 2022.
I'm not really excited aboutgoing back to this climb because
of the things that happened thefirst time.
Right, and I get a phone callfrom somebody and they're like
hey, jenner, you coming backthis year?
(31:20):
I said, yeah, I am.
There's an individual that'sbeen training to climb this
mountain, but they don't havethe resources to do it.
Do you think you could help?
I'm like, yeah, I haven't leftyet.
Let me grab some extra gear,come over and I'll help for sure
.
So I came back to K2 and Isubmitted as a third American
female and 30 minutes later, thefirst Pakistani female stood on
(31:44):
top of our country's prize.
Because I helped and, if I hadfailed that first time, I
wouldn't have been able to helpthe second time, right yeah.
And so sometimes I think we getso caught up in our obstacles
or our setbacks or our perceivedfailures when we don't
understand that maybe theuniverse is using us for more
(32:06):
and maybe this is just our firststory and trust the process.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Correct Trust the process 100%.
Speaker 5 (32:12):
Yeah, amazing.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
One of my favorite country songs is live like
you're dying, and I think thatthat's how you were seeing a lot
of people put off while they'rewaiting till they kids are in
college or waiting till this.
But to just really just takeevery day you don't know how
many days you're going to haveso to really try to live it to
the fullest, I think that'sgreat.
Obviously, you are doing thatbig time.
Speaker 4 (32:28):
Yes, yes yes, yes, I live by the motto I do not get
to choose when I die, but Ishould get to choose how I live.
And every day is a choice, andI just have to keep reminding
myself.
These are the choices I'mmaking.
Do I want to continue to makethese or pivot?
Speaker 6 (32:42):
Yeah, and I love that .
It's the journey for you too,not just the destination.
I think we get so caught up inthe goals and the destination,
but really it's the process andthe journeys that you went
through along the way.
Speaker 4 (32:53):
You're on the top of Everest for 10 minutes, 10
minutes.
You want that journey drilledinto your head.
Go climb Everest and be upthere for 10 minutes.
You're like man.
It's a good thing.
I loved all the things on theway to this point, because maybe
10 minutes.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
That's just a blip in time.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Matt.
Well, you were super inspiring.
I'm excited to read your book.
I love your attitude.
I think it's just a really goodreminder and you did enjoy the
process and enjoy the journeyand not give up.
That's awesome.
So we will definitely include alink to your book or to your
website.
You've got your great podcast.
It's really enjoyable to listento and gosh, just you're the
first.
Guinness World Book for Recordsperson yes, the world's book
(33:35):
too.
Speaker 6 (33:36):
So yeah, yes.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Well, thank you all so much for your time tonight.
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (33:42):
Love you, to speak to you.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
Thank you, bye-bye, bye, I am not sure what to do
(34:03):
with it.
Oh amazing, my heart was racinglistening to our talk.
Speaker 5 (34:06):
I know.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Just thinking about like we should talk about doing
the steps.
Oh gosh.
That would be a big held to thenote for me.
Speaker 6 (34:13):
Well, just the cold, and then of itself and like and
the whole frostbite and like howdo you train?
That's the thing.
Cause like, yeah, you train forlike marathons, you train for
triathlons, things like that,but when it's when it's that
cold and you have that manyobstacles and people are
literally dying.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
It's just unforgiving , unpredictable.
Not that, like you know,training for a marathon, or I
mean, cause that is again, youdo not see me running a marathon
, or doing triathlons no.
No, but when you talk to like,when you hear those stories of
these people that have, that'samazing, they have done these
summits cause you really are upagainst mother nature at its
(34:55):
most brutal Right.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
How do you Pull, like , yeah, like.
How do you To make sure it'sokay?
Speaker 3 (35:00):
How long do you train for?
And I wish I had asked thatlike cause, that's like how,
like, how long do you train forthat?
So you, you had this accidentand I totally get it, like you
know.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
I didn't say like she trained very long, because she
said like the accident was in2018.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
Six months, yeah, she's.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
I think the most important is the team approach,
like having people who have beenthere with you, have done this
maybe before Girl.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
I'm saying a thousand percent, I know Hands down.
Speaker 5 (35:28):
But you have to be surrounded by like in your life.
You'd have to be surrounded bypeople like yourself, because I
know, if I came to my family andsaid I'm going to do this,
they'd all go, you're crazy orhave fun.
Speaker 6 (35:40):
No, you're not Cause, I'm not.
No, no, no.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
But it would be met by no, you're absolutely won't
be doing that Like that'sridiculous Right Like I'm not
the option number two, checkingmom into a mental health
facility.
Because, yeah, like I am, thisis not I'm Cuckoo for Cocoa Pops
.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Yeah, but yeah, cause like that is again, and I don't
there is no discount as far aslike training for all these
other things.
A thousand percent, I mean Istill I couldn't do those either
, but you are literally upagainst mother nature.
Speaker 5 (36:11):
You're taking your life into your hands.
Speaker 3 (36:13):
So unpredictable, it's a twist of fate.
It's like how do you train forthat?
Speaker 2 (36:21):
When she said that all of her friends know if
you're going to be friends withher, you have to hike, I was
like we wouldn't have beenfriends.
Oh no.
Speaker 6 (36:26):
I would have been like, yeah, let's go.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
I mean I'd walk around the lake, not in the cold
.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
I'll text you and say go get them.
Yeah, I'll time you.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
I'll sit in the car, my Starbucks and time you go.
Speaker 6 (36:37):
See, I would think I would do it.
It's just the cold that wouldget me Like, if I go to ski, I
love it, but then I'm like atthe end of the day I'm like, oh,
the fireplace and the you knowhot chocolate or whatever.
I think it's just like, that'sbut to be.
Can you imagine being in thatkind of cold?
Speaker 5 (36:49):
No, and.
Speaker 6 (36:50):
I love the cold.
I couldn't do it.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
I don't and I cannot.
It's brutal Like I have seen,like videos and stuff of you
know the climbers, and like thewind gusts and it's just but I
just, I do think you know it'ssuch a testament to her spirit
and just the sense of when youhave such something happen to,
(37:14):
instead of I don't want to say,but you know, like just get into
that.
Like, yeah, like exactly Likeyou act like you really do, like
you're a phoenix.
You rise you rise and you'relike okay, this is, this is a
new life, right?
So I think that that's what'sso important.
Like okay, so none of us aregoing to go climb Mount Everest.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
I don't know.
I see Pam like spinning herhead now she's like I'm tight.
Speaker 6 (37:39):
I would, I would do if it were not for the cold.
Literally, I would go.
Speaker 5 (37:43):
So I meant to do it next week.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
I'll do that one with you.
Speaker 5 (37:47):
I know I will do that .
Speaker 3 (37:49):
But I do love cause you know what.
Everyone has a different MountEverest 100%, you know and I
think that that's what's soamazing about her story.
Is that her literally MountEverest was that.
But each person out therethat's listening, each one of us
we've had our own car crash.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
We've had our own.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
Mount Everest, and I think that that's what I just so
love about this process is thatwe find those little nuggets of
it and it just continues toempower women to just push, push
through and, you know, findtheir Mount Everest, whatever
that is, you know.
Speaker 2 (38:28):
Well, that's a.
She gave me the title, yeah,and I was like what the?
Speaker 6 (38:34):
but she doesn't give up and she's she's very
resilient and she's willing tosay, like this didn't work out.
But maybe the universe istelling me something else.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
And that's a message that every single person
listening, and really everysingle person on this planet
needs to hear versus.
Speaker 6 (38:51):
that was hard.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
I'm giving up it was like oh my God, maybe there's a.
I got hurt and I had somethingreally bad happen to me and I'm
just going to stay in this, inthis place, because that's
really not.
I just don't think that's whatthe universe is.
It's not what it's meant to dofor you.
So, yeah, I just think it's.
It's such a powerful messagethat you, no matter what life
(39:13):
throws your way you got to yougot to keep climbing.
Speaker 5 (39:17):
Keep on keeping up.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
Wasn't there a Miley Cyrus song about that.
There we go, there we go Lisa,we can release that.
Speaker 5 (39:29):
I love that one.
I do too, yes, I think, yeah,you probably need to release for
him.
I do.
I will say I do think if youhave seven children you can
pretty much do anything, thoughAbsolutely Again.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
Two children, seven dogs and I said a twin's, five
boys and seven twins.
Speaker 5 (39:47):
She had seven children under the age of eight.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
Maybe she would climb the mountain.
Speaker 5 (39:52):
Maybe she, maybe that was just to get away, that
would.
That would, if I had.
Okay, I will tell you thisright now.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
If Ashley Badoski had seven children, I would, for
wreaking I would have.
I would have been the holder ofthat title.
Speaker 6 (40:09):
Okay.
So can I tell you is this crazythat when she was saying she
was at the game for her son'sgame for an hour and a half and
she had the step with like thewaters of the?
Speaker 2 (40:17):
back pack.
Speaker 6 (40:18):
I just figured that was like that's a great idea.
Oh gosh, not me.
I was like this is a great idea, I love this idea.
Speaker 5 (40:23):
No, I would still be in the car with my Starbuck's.
I love this.
Speaker 6 (40:28):
I'm going to be at somebody's game With my T-Nose
water bottle yeah.
Sip, sip, come on guys.
That's a great idea, is it not?
Speaker 3 (40:37):
No, okay.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
That one's turning on me now.
Speaker 5 (40:42):
No.
But you know what that's youridea, you go to you and we will
clap and we will cheer.
We will cheer you.
Speaker 6 (40:49):
I was like oh girl thank you for that good idea.
I love this.
You're going to be that mom.
You're going to see me at theStarzmille game when my little
steps open down, opened to thebleachers.
Speaker 5 (40:58):
There's Pam.
There's Pam Up her mountain.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
Yeah, exactly, all right.
Speaker 5 (41:03):
Cheers to your mountains.
Cheers to your mountains, yeahcheers to mountains and
overcoming.
Oh, and there's like the sandmusic, climb every mountain as
well.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
There's so many songs .
There's so many songs.
It is Okay, yeah, mountains,cheers and that's it for today's
episode.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
I hope you enjoyed it .
I hope you enjoyed it.
I'll see you next time.
Thanks for watching.
Once again, thank you so muchfor joining us and we'll catch
(41:54):
you in the next episode of theMiddle Age-ish podcast.
Welcome to the Middle-Age-ish podcast,
authentically andunapologetically, keeping it
real, discussing all thingsmiddle-age-ish, a time when
metabolism slows and confidencegrows.
Join fashion and fitnessentrepreneur Ashley Bedosky,
former Celtic woman and founderof the Lisa Kelly Voice Academy,
lisa Kelly, licensedpsychologist and mental health
(00:24):
expert, dr Pam Wright, andhighly sought-after cosmetic
injector and board certifiednurse practitioner, trisha
Kennedy-Roman.
Join your hosts on the journeyof Middle-Age-ish.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode
of Middle-Age-ish podcast.
I'm Trisha Kennedy-Roman andI'm joined here today with my
co-host, ashley Bedosky, lisaKelly and Dr Pam Wright, and
tonight we are joined with JenDrummond.
We're super excited to have her.
She is just an absolutego-getter, a mom of seven, oh
Lee Cow Business owner.
She's got a book out now andshe's.
(01:01):
I'm excited to talk to youabout the seven second summit,
because that was and that isamazing.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We want to learn all about it.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Just a high achiever but has a really great alloc on
life, and so we are excited tolearn from you this evening.
So thank you for being here,jen, I'm excited.
Thanks for having me.
So we were talking, first ofall, we were talking about
having all of us have a lot ofdogs and kids too, but seven
kids, that is enough to keep youbusy.
Right there it is.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
It is.
It can be all consuming if youallow it to be.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
That's true, that's true.
So what are the age ranges?
Speaker 4 (01:32):
So my oldest will be 17 on October 20, and then my
youngest are twin girls that are10.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
Oh my, oh my.
So you've like seven in?
Oh my gosh, seven years span,that's a lot, holy cow.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So that's not just seven, that's seven in seven,
that's a lot.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
There's a lot.
There's a seven in seven,that's for sure.
Wow, and just one set of twins.
One set of twins.
So I have five boys and thentwin girls, oh my goodness.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
So cute though.
So they are the familyprincesses.
Yep, yes.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Thank God they came as a pair, so otherwise one
might be in therapy for life.
So we got that going for us.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
So true.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Wow, Well, and that is something we're talking in a
previous podcast about howreally our generation is kind of
the generation that tried to doboth to have a career and to
have the children.
You really, I mean you right,there is a full-time job with
the seven kids, but you've beena really successful business
owner and just really thrivingin the business world, and so I
know that that you knowbalancing all that can be quite,
(02:34):
quite a lot.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, and lucky for me, I got into the business
world right out of college andgot into finance and learned how
to leverage that and hiredmyself out of a job when I
started having kids.
So I do have a job, but I ammore removed than some other
people are, and even that's astruggle, right?
(02:56):
I can't even imagine doing itmore, and most people do it more
than I do, so cheers toeverybody that's in that
position.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
When having a podcast , you always listen to your
podcast and I think it's great.
By the way, One thing you said,it really stood out to me and
how you know, a lot of times inlife and I'm very guilty of this
you always think, once Iachieve this, then I'll be happy
, Once I achieve this, then I'llbe happy, and you're constantly
, you know, seeking the nextthing.
I've talked about that manytimes, and so I love that you
hit on that, that that'ssomething that you finally
(03:23):
realize that that's not the keyto you know, owning your life
and to being happy.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Yeah, no, you do not want an.
If, then clause on happinessfor sure.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, no, if then clause I like that.
So true.
And so if you can tell us justa little bit about your story,
because I think it's, it's areally great story and as far as
how you've really given yourlife a lot more purpose and
meaning and taking a break, yes,yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
So you know, I think we all hit plateaus in life and
something wakes us up orsomething causes us to pivot.
Mine happened to be a car wreckthat should have taken my life
and didn't, and instead it wokeme up to the idea of I don't get
to choose when I die, but Isure get to choose how I live.
And am I really living rightnow?
(04:08):
And I would say I was more orless going through the boxes and
just checking off the things todo and told myself I would get
back to living when my kids gotto college, because that's when
I'd have time to do it again andI just felt like I had to be
waiting in the wings ifsomething was wrong, that I
could always be there.
Well, after that car accident Ilooked at my life and like what
(04:28):
I want this life on for any ofmy children and the answer was a
hard no.
And I'm like I want todemonstrate what a full body yes
Looks like to them.
I want them to see a mom who'sthriving and loving life and
being a good mom, and so thatreally caused me to pivot and
start paying attention to myselfagain and what I was interested
(04:51):
in doing and what set my hearton fire.
And we even had a discussionabout it.
I said, okay, guys, mom's kindof been slacking on herself.
I'm going to start doing somethings, like I'm excited it's
going to shift things aroundhere, but we can have
conversations around it and it'sgoing to be messy, but we'll
figure it out.
And everybody's like okay, sure.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Oh nice.
Yeah, we talked about thatbefore, just about how, as moms,
we can often feel guilty forself care, but how really
important that is to be able tobe good moms, to be able to be
good wives, business leaders youknow everything that we do to
be able to fully function.
We have to take care ofourselves.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Yeah, yeah, we use it like I'm self full instead of
selfish, and so am I still fullto be able to help everybody
else.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
I love that.
I mean I do Like, like Trishasaid, I mean we know so many
moms that don't see it that wayand as soon as, like you talked
about when you do that pivot, Imean it really is life changing
and you, like your kids, see itand they grow in that strength
and that love and thatcontentment and that peace.
(05:55):
It's just making that pivot.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
It seems to be so hard for women our age, oh, we
think for some of us, yeah, andwe think about it like when
we're looking at environments,we're looking for environmental
cues, like is mom happy?
Okay, mom's happy, I havepermission to be happy, but if
mom is always, on hustle and doand check off the list and this
is like what it looks like thenlike it's hard to for other
(06:19):
people to be themselves in thatenvironment because you have
that energy in the space.
Speaker 6 (06:24):
I love the fact I'm a psychologist, but I love the
fact that you said we're goingto have a conversation about it.
So, like you included thefamily, and not just like, hey,
this is what I'm doing, which iswhat a lot of people do, right,
like that's what I'm doing andwe're have to adjust, but it's
more, hey, let's have aconversation.
This is what I'm thinking.
How will you guys react?
What do you think?
And it's important, it is.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
it is we have state of the unions is what we call
them.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
Freaking love family chat.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
There's an influencer on Instagram and I can't think
of her name right now, but Iwatch her all the time.
I have mom envy, which ishorrible, but she just has it
all together, but they have.
She treats her household like abusiness because I mean, that's
the most important businesswe'll have and they have family
meetings weekly and I thoughtthat was really cool.
They sit down they plan out theweek and you know just like if
you have a corporate businessmeeting important meeting.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Yeah, it's so important to do that, so
important to check in with yourkids, but they're so versatile
as well.
I often find that with withchildren, like you think it's
going to be so detrimental tothem or it's going to be a huge
upheaval, but they're really,really good.
They're nearly better than weare at pivoting.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Oh, I think they are better.
I was like they are definitelybetter at pivoting, for sure.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Yeah, I mean I went to climb Everest and I remember
like my biggest hesitation was Ican't be gone for my kids for
three weeks, maybe four weeks.
That's never happened.
That's not okay.
A good mom doesn't leave herkids for three weeks.
And I had to wrestle with thatlimiting belief in my head.
I'm like, okay, well, is thereanother option?
And when I started gettingcurious about other options, I'm
(07:51):
like like a grandma can comeand this person can help and all
these things can be taken careof.
I went to the kids school.
I talked to their teacher and Isaid, hey, I'm going to be gone
.
They might be off a little bit,can you give them a little bit
of grace?
And the teacher is like you'reclimbing Everest.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
I said yeah, see, I'm thinking you're better mom than
me, because I would be moreworried about the height.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
I'm like yeah, I'm climbing Everest.
And she's like, can you come inand teach the kids about
studying an Everest like goal?
And then we can.
And I had a tracking device onme while I was climbing, so they
made this mountain and then theschool could track me and where
I was and we talked about goalsetting and like everybody was
(08:31):
super involved and when Iclimbed that mountain it's like
the whole school is climbing,the whole community is climbing,
Like everybody was involved andknew.
And I came back my kids arelike thrilled with me for a day
and then everything was back tonormal.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Right.
They're like can you go awayagain, like don't you have
something else to do?
Right.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
I'm the one who's like sitting at base camp with
nothing to do like bumming thatI'm not with them.
They have all their activities,they have all their things
going on, blah, blah, blah, blah.
And it was actually like areally good experience for all
of us because they got to seewhat happens when mom's gone and
how many other people lovedthem and step up to the plate
and they felt seen and heard bymy entire community.
(09:09):
It was a really magicalexperience.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
That's amazing.
Let's backtrack because I'm onthe world did you?
Speaker 2 (09:16):
have you always been a thrill seeker or liked a hike?
Or how in the world were youhiking?
Speaker 3 (09:19):
A climber like how do you just be like I'm gonna do
air climbers, yeah, like us.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
Yeah, no, it was crazy.
So I had climbed one mountainbefore.
It was like a mountain inJackson Hole called the Grand
Teton.
And when I was going through mybucket list in 2019 after
surviving that car wreck, like,okay, what are all the things I
want to see?
Do experience become try?
And I had this huge list ofeverything from sea of pyramid,
climb a mountain, you know, putmy feet in the water, and San
(09:46):
Diego and in Africa and allthese things right.
And so 2020 was coming and I wasturning 40.
I go, I want to climb amountain for my 40th birthday,
because that looks likesomething that would be great to
launch this next decade.
So I asked friends that wereinto mountaineering if you could
climb one mountain in the wholeworld, what mountain would it
be?
And the general consensus was amountain named Amma de Blom,
(10:11):
and if anybody's watched aParamount Pictures movie, you've
seen that mountain, becauseit's part of their logo, it has
all the stars around it and itmeans the mother's necklace.
I'm like, perfect, I'm gonnaclimb Amma de Blom.
Well, covid hits and I'm notclimbing anything.
And I'm a homeschool teacher toseven children because schools
are shut down and so I'm doinghomework with one of my sons and
(10:32):
he's struggling, so I'm givinghim the proverbial parent pep
talk we do our things.
You've got this and he looks atme and he goes if we do our
things, why are you climbing amountain called I'm a dumb
blonde instead of a real top endlike.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Mount Everest.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
I'm like Amma de Blom , honey, not, I'm a dumb blonde,
what's that mean that's you.
That's you.
You got a lot of children.
Yes, that little punk.
So I looked at Everest.
I called the coach.
He's like yes, I can get youready.
He sends me a book aboutbecoming an uphill athlete.
I read this book and in thefront of it there was a forward
(11:06):
about a lady who got a Guinnessworld record for doing something
in the Alps.
And during my call with mycoach I was like I don't know, I
think homeschooling wasn'tgoing well and I'm like if I
could have done that, I wouldhave gotten the coolest mom
award ever.
My kids learned how to read andGuinness world record books.
He's like I'll think ofsomething.
Like, okay, fine, but I'm notgrowing pumpkins or speed eating
(11:27):
hot dogs or any of those otherweird things that people do to
get into that record book.
He's like no, worries.
And a few weeks later he comesback and he's like Jen, I have
the perfect record for you.
I'm like okay.
He's like I think you should bethe first female to climb the
seven second summits.
I'm like seven, seven, huh,what?
What are you even talking about?
(11:47):
He's like listen, he goes.
The seven second summits arethe second highest point on each
of the seven continents.
They're harder than the firstseven.
It's only been done by one male, so you'd be the first female
to do it.
And he goes.
Let's be honest sevencontinents, seven mountains,
seven children it sounds like ajackpot.
And for me, like after my caraccident, I kind of had three
(12:09):
things I wanted to do hardthings, experience the world and
inspire others, and I felt thispursuit did that.
So I said yes, wow.
Speaker 5 (12:20):
Were you always athletic.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Like did you?
It's not easy, Like it's notjust something that I think me
let's just go do this.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Yeah, I mean, I was definitely always an athlete.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
So, that foundation definitely helped.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
So how do you train for like?
I know there's like where do weeven start?
Speaker 6 (12:38):
With so many questions.
How and when do you train?
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Yeah, right, exactly.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
So, the win was more of a struggle than the how Right
, Definitely.
So.
I live in Park City, Utah,which is great because we're a
mountain town which gives me alot of hiking options and things
like that.
But time was an issue, so Iwould go to soccer games and I'd
be that mom with a 12 inch stepand a backpack full of water
bottles and during that hour anda half game I'd be doing step
(13:05):
ups on that step instead ofsitting and watching, because it
allowed me to be there for myson and allowed me to still work
on my goal and Zoom calls.
If I didn't have to be cameraready, they were done while I
was walking on a treadmill at anangle right.
Just, you get creative becauseit's what you want to do.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
I still can't, I just I can't get over.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
Yeah, I don't know if you heard what Trisha said, but
I'm still laughing at what shesaid.
She said I can't even climb onmy peloton, but it's just so
hard to find the time, andobviously the car crash probably
was a huge motivator as well.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Yeah, I need to learn right Like you're like okay, my
friends are like well, if Iwant to hang out with Jen, we're
going for a hike.
So do I feel like I could todayI'll call Jen and hang out right
.
If it's just it was a lot ofthat kind of stuff and just
being very scheduled and verydeliberate, because I mean I was
afraid.
Now that I look back at it it'skind of silly, but at the time
I was afraid I was going to die,like, if I'm not in physical
(14:08):
shape, I could be putting mylife at risk, and I'm not okay
with that Absolutely becausethat's what you hear about Like
it's no, like this is no joke.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
So what was your training time?
So, from when you made thiscommitment and you made this
decision, what did that trainingtime look like for when you set
foot on that massive mountain?
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Yeah, so when I climbed the first seven second
summit was in December of 2020and I summited the last one in
June 1st of 2023.
So it took me two and a halfyears to do the pursuit.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
So you are now like you have the record.
Yeah, yes, thank youCongratulations, that's awesome.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Yeah, and I'm still not cool if anybody's wondering,
still not cool, but that's allright, I am.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Kids are very humbling.
I know they are so humbling.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
We think they're very cool, that's really awesome.
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
I'm gonna be on there for the hot dog eating before.
I go Exactly.
Speaker 6 (15:03):
So what's your next goal?
Do you have a new like goal or?
Speaker 4 (15:06):
plan.
I wrote a book about theexperience to kind of share some
of the lessons that I learnedon the mountains to help people
achieve their goals, and soright now it's promoting the
book and doing speakingengagements and different fun
things like that.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And what was the?
Speaker 4 (15:19):
title of your book?
Yeah, it's called BreakproofSeven strategies to build
resilience and achieve your lifegoals.
Yeah, I like that, yeah, and thebreakproof is kind of playful,
right.
So I find that we all breakbecause we pushed past our
limits and that's where we hit abreaking point and it's in that
break that we have the proof ofwhat's working, what's not
working.
The time for reflection is thiseven the mountain that we wanna
(15:42):
climb, or is there somethingelse that we wanna do with our
lives and just have theseoptions to continue forward with
intention?
Speaker 6 (15:48):
So when you got to those moments that were really
hard.
What helped you push through?
Speaker 4 (15:54):
Oh everything.
I've tried every trick underthe book, because your brain is
like oh, you're tricking me,this doesn't work.
So I had a fear of heights,which would have been a nice
thing to know before I set outon this quest, but it didn't go
well up until I started climbingwhich was awesome.
And when you climb Everest,you've seen those ladder photos,
right when the ladder connectsthe two crevasses.
(16:16):
And I just remember sweatingprofusely when we got to this
area and I'm like I can't dothis, like I cannot do this, and
so I had to stop.
I'd give myself a pep talk.
Might have played a little bitof like vanilla ice for a little
pep talk music.
Oh, ice ice, baby.
Yes, yes, yes.
(16:37):
And then, when it's time to geton the ladder, I just remember
thinking, okay, the only thingthat I can control right now is
a safe step.
So I literally said out loudsafe step.
And I do a step, safe step, andI do a step, safe step, and I
do a step.
And I feel like that blockedout any negative thoughts, being
able to grab on to what I wasdoing, and it just allowed me to
(16:58):
really hone in and repeat thatmantra and just do that thing.
Then we got to the other side.
I mean, it was a dance party.
I was so excited, like I was achild at Christmas, I could not
and you get that confidenceright.
You're like, okay, I did that,scared, and I still did it Right
.
And here I am and guess what?
We can be scared, but thatdoesn't mean stop, it just means
(17:20):
like I'm doing the scared.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
So when you hit that, that last mountain and you hit
that record, what did that feellike?
Speaker 4 (17:27):
Yeah, so you get to the top and you take in the
deepest breath you can whenthere's no oxygen, so you need
it.
But you take in this deepbreath and when that breath
fills your body, everythingdisappears.
There's no time, there's nospace, there's no distance,
there's no separation.
You're just aw, you're just onewith everything.
(17:49):
And then you exhale and youslowly start to form again and
time shows up and separationappears and you sit with
yourself and you realize thatit's in the pursuit that we're
living life and you kind of takeyour soul out of your body and
you throw it back out into theuniverse and say I can't wait to
find you next, and down you goto play the game of hide and
(18:12):
seek and experience this worldas best as we can.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
I love that I have to live vicariously, I know.
Speaker 6 (18:19):
Yeah, Wow.
So what was your hardest?
Most difficult was Everest.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
No, actually Everest is not the most difficult, it's
just the most well known.
So, okay, you know they all hadlike unique challenges.
For sure, I would say MountLogan was probably our hardest,
which is unfair because MountLogan is the second highest
point for North America, so yourhome mountain should be your
(18:44):
easiest one, but it's reallychallenging because you have to
ski up it.
So, oh, wait, wait, oh dear,you have to ski it because it's
so long, it just takes forever.
So you put these like feltthings on the bottom of your
skis and then there's no trail,right, you're on this huge
glacier and really nobody's onthe mountain.
(19:06):
And so for you to take a stepforward because you don't know
if you're on a snow bridge ornot, like you just don't know
what's underneath you you takeyour ski pole and you poke into
the ground to the left of you,to the center of you and to the
right of you, and you hope thatpole gets rejected back, because
that means that the next stepyou take is safe.
And then you repeat that oh myGod, and you repeat that Wow,
(19:27):
and you repeat that.
And then you put bamboo sticksin to mark where you've gone.
So you have a trail to followback and when you build your
tent you have to build an iglooevery single time because the
winds get so strong that youcan't have the winds rip your
tent or you're going to be dead,because that's what's keeping
you warm at night, and so it'sjust so much work.
(19:49):
You get dropped off and then youset up your tent, you build
your igloo and then the next dayyou wake up, you ski some of
your stuff up the mountain, youbury it so it doesn't blow away.
You come back to your tent, yougo to bed and the next day you
wake up, you pack up your tent,you ski past where you buried
stuff, you set up camp again,build another igloo, go to bed
(20:11):
and you ski back down to getyour gear that you couldn't
carry all the way up because itwas too long, and you just like
inchworm up this mountain andyou're reading weather reports,
you're making decisions, you'remelting water so that you can
have food, and we did athree-man team and one of my
teammates got frostbite.
(20:31):
We had to be airlifted off witha long line so the helicopter
can't even land on the glacier,like it has to drop a line that
you strap a person to, becauseif it landed on the glacier,
there's not enough oxygen in theair for it to lift off again.
And so all of a sudden, nowthere's two of you left your
friends injured and you're justlike what am I doing?
Why couldn't I pick like theseven nicest beaches in the
(20:53):
world?
Like what was that Exactly, Imean?
I might have thought that, yes,wow.
So it's just crazy.
But where is my inch Logan?
My Logan is in Canada and it'son the border of Alaska and
Canada, but you have to enterfrom Canada.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
Oh wow, Nice.
Speaker 6 (21:09):
Cold.
So how long did that take?
That one took, like we weremaking record time.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
That one took 14 days and it's just long Like it's
tedious and it's work and it'swhatever.
But we and it took me two triesso we tried in 2022.
It was too cold to melt waterwith the burners, so Parks
Canada pulled us off themountain and said it was too
dangerous for us to continuewith the weather conditions, and
(21:37):
so then, when we went back in2023, we had entirely different
weather, which was amazingbecause it was a lot more
tolerable.
But then we had the frostbiteissue.
Yeah, it took two weeks, butyou know, it's a.
It's a crazy dichotomy of whensomething's hard and you
overcome it.
It's such a high right, Like ifeverything was easy.
you'd get bored and you want towant to play the game anymore.
(21:58):
So that challenge is justenough to push you to your
limits, and I think that's whereliving happens.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
But where do you go from, like climbing?
I just like where did you getyour next trial?
Speaker 4 (22:12):
Yes, yeah, I don't know.
Yet I don't know.
I will say that everybody askswhat's next and I'm like you
know what.
I'm trying to appreciate whatis Exactly.
And so I'm not answering thatquestion for another year, so
that I can just learn how toappreciate the home.
Speaker 5 (22:30):
Yeah, yeah, yep, it's amazing.
I had to reflect on what you'vedone because, I mean, I'm sure
it's quite surreal at the timewhen you're doing it as well.
Yeah and you're sad Becauseyou're in the moment.
Yeah, you're in a moment ofnervousness and worry and
anxiety.
I can just kind of imagine that.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Yeah, and then it's done right.
And all of a sudden you're alittle sad when it's done,
because that was so much focusand so much energy and so much I
don't know.
You just had so much purposeand all of a sudden it's done.
You're like wait, it's done.
Now, what you know and I'm likenow what is like learning the
mountain right now for me ischilling out, like just being
yes, yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:05):
Now you can check out the beaches.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
I'm in, I'm in, I'm sure it's going to take quite a
few beaches to figure out what,once the night is when you made
this announcement that you weregoing to do this.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
did you have a fear?
Once you said you were going todo it, that you'd not be able
to do it?
Speaker 4 (23:19):
1,000%.
I didn't even want to talkabout it.
Like I literally am like, oh,we'll just talk about it when
it's done.
And because I started thispursuit in COVID, my friends are
like no, you have to take us onthis journey with you because
it's the closest thing we'regoing to get to these
experiences.
And who cares if you don'tsummit?
We have enough Beyonce's andpeople that get to the top.
(23:41):
We want to know the real stuffthat goes on behind the scenes
and the making of these thingsand share that.
I was like, ok, that's a goodpoint.
So I was scared.
I mean, I was scared, but it'salso like it's never been done
by a female.
So if it doesn't get done, it'snot like somebody did it and I
couldn't Just it hasn't done yet.
So that kind of gave me alittle window of wiggle room.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
So with your book you obviously you tell the story
about.
Could you kind of tell whatbrought you to that point and
then kind of tell your readersthe process of doing it?
Speaker 4 (24:13):
Yeah.
So I take the readers into theexpedition, so every mountain is
covered and we kind of extractone lesson from each mountain
and then help them apply it totheir own lives.
So, for example, big mountainstake big teams.
So if you have a big goal, it'sgoing to take a big team for
you to bring that goal home.
(24:35):
And if you're feeling tired orexhausted or just don't want to
do it anymore, I encourage youto ask yourself like do I have
enough people helping me to makethis possible?
You know, like when you climbEverest, you have Sherpas that
help carry the weight.
I had to carry that weight allby myself all the way up to the
top.
It would have taken a lotlonger and it wouldn't have been
(24:57):
as much fun.
So if you have a big goal, likean Everest goal, do you have
people on your team to helplighten the load?
Speaker 5 (25:06):
Do your kids share the same interest?
Speaker 4 (25:08):
You know they do.
I'm going to take three of myboys climbing in Africa in
February.
We're going to go help out achair there and do a climb there
.
They're pretty excited about itand my daughters are probably
my best climbers, to be honestwith you.
So it's just fun to share theexperience with everybody,
because it gets you outside andit challenges you and you
(25:29):
support each other in thosetimes.
Speaker 5 (25:32):
That's amazing.
Just imagine my friends or myfamily if I turned around and
said I was going to climb aboutand they would all die of shock.
Speaker 4 (25:40):
Like who ate my mom.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Yeah, mine would be like.
Well cheers, mom, I'll see youon the other side.
Speaker 5 (25:47):
Oh yeah, yeah.
It's just incredible to me thatyou kind of like I know you
said you're athletic and allthat but that you kind of wake
up one day and go, no, this iswhat I want to do, and you do it
.
I just that kind ofperseverance and just I think
that's never really appreciatedin people either, that the
amount of work that goes into itto fulfilling what you want to
do it's.
You can have dreams, but toactually make them come true
(26:09):
just takes a lot of hard work.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Yeah, I talk about it in the book a little bit too,
about committing to thecommitment.
Once you say you're going to dosomething like that, that's
that decision's made.
Now it's how do we have fundoing it, how do we enjoy?
Speaker 5 (26:23):
it?
And were you always like thatas a person, though?
Or was this something new toyou?
Because I kind of feel like theolder I've gotten, we've talked
about, like you know, whenyou're middle aged and you just
get a whole lot braver than youever did but were you always
like this?
Speaker 4 (26:36):
I don't know.
I mean maybe a little bit.
I mean I definitely was drivenif anybody asked you.
But what happened after theaccident is like I gave probably
before the accident I was soafraid of failure and so like
viscoping life that I'll just doit harder twice as whatever to
make it happen.
And after the accident it waslike it doesn't even matter.
(26:58):
It doesn't even matter, if Isummit the mountain.
What matters is that I got upthere and tried it and I had the
experience of it and it reallychanged my perspective and
allowed me to enjoy the pursuitmuch more than being like we
have to do this because I said Iwould you know, yeah, so yeah,
it's just so inspiringIncredible Love it yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Well, I love how you talk, you know, on your website
and your podcast, about howlife's challenges are, when you
can really use those to andwe've had other guests talk
about that and use those to kindof catapult to to bigger things
and to really strengthenyourself, versus, you know,
being being break proof andletting it break you or or
letting it make you stronger.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And here's the thing aboutsharing the journey when you're
on the pursuit Like we love towave our flag at the top of the
mountain, like how many photoshave you seen online of somebody
like waving their flag becausethey got to the top?
But the reality is, if you'rebrave enough to wave your flag
down your and your entirejourney, you're letting the
world know, like, here's whatI'm trying to do, here's what I
(28:04):
need, here's how I can help.
So when I first listed thisexperience on Instagram, I was
actually saving Mount Kenya,which is in Africa, for the end,
because it's a 20 pitch rockclimb and, like rock climbing
isn't my best thing, and so I'mlike I just want a little more
experience.
But this charity reached out tome and said hey, listen, we have
(28:25):
an ambulance that we're tryingto deliver and, kenya, if you're
going to go there soon, wouldyou mind being the face of our
charity so that we don't have topay money to send somebody else
over?
I'm like, yeah, of course I'lldo that.
So I got to go over there andhelp deliver this ambulance.
Well, that charity knew somepeople that would be really good
for me to work with on themountain, so they helped me
(28:47):
figure that piece out and I juststarted training for that
earlier.
And so when people know whatyou're trying to do, you just
start attracting things thathelp you get possible, and you
have to wave your flag theentire time.
I mean, it's just part of it.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
That's just great, yeah, I think it's amazing.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Yeah, mine, that's a big thing that we we learn as we
get older that it's okay to askfor help and and to have that
team to support you, like that'sreally great.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
I think that's part of the lesson you know we always
talk about like a take, it doestake a village, I mean we're
not, we're never meant to walkthis journey alone.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
Yeah, I think of those.
It's also so important to showpeople the struggle and how hard
it is to redo what you do,because I think there's such
we're such an instant kind ofgratification time.
Like everybody you know you,even when you look at stuff like
American Idol or all thesethings, you just see the
audition process and then yousee them become a superstar and
(29:44):
you don't see the blood, thesweat and tears that go into
every part of everything thatyou're doing.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
There's no filter, yeah.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
It's just so important to share the journey
so that people know how hard itis.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
Yeah, no, and like when I climbed K2 in 2021, I
failed the first time.
What happened was is a personon my team got caught in an
avalanche and died, and so, allof a sudden, I was faced with,
like they offered me like heyJen, do you want to continue
climbing or do you want to goback down?
And like continue climbing.
We just had a teammate die.
(30:16):
I'm going to go back down andhelp take care of my team.
Are you kidding me?
This bowing is always going tobe here.
We need you know.
So I helped take care of myteam.
I flew back home.
My kids came home from camp afew days later and they're like
Mom, mom, did you summit?
I said no, I didn't, but I hadsuccess.
And they looked at me confusedand I'm like listen, guys who we
(30:37):
show up as people is way moreimportant than anything we're
ever going to achieve.
Right, absolutely, and I was onthe small end.
This horrific event happened,but I am proud of myself on how
I showed up and what I did, andI just want like this was the
lesson.
This is why this had to happen,so that people could see that
we need to always put peopleover peaks and whatever our
(30:59):
pursuits are.
And what's magical is that I'mmetabolizing this whole
situation.
I need to go back to K2 in 2022.
I'm not really excited aboutgoing back to this climb because
of the things that happened thefirst time.
Right, and I get a phone callfrom somebody and they're like
hey, jenner, you coming backthis year?
(31:20):
I said, yeah, I am.
There's an individual that'sbeen training to climb this
mountain, but they don't havethe resources to do it.
Do you think you could help?
I'm like, yeah, I haven't leftyet.
Let me grab some extra gear,come over and I'll help for sure
.
So I came back to K2 and Isubmitted as a third American
female and 30 minutes later, thefirst Pakistani female stood on
(31:44):
top of our country's prize.
Because I helped and, if I hadfailed that first time, I
wouldn't have been able to helpthe second time, right yeah.
And so sometimes I think we getso caught up in our obstacles
or our setbacks or our perceivedfailures when we don't
understand that maybe theuniverse is using us for more
(32:06):
and maybe this is just our firststory and trust the process.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Correct Trust the process 100%.
Speaker 5 (32:12):
Yeah, amazing.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
One of my favorite country songs is live like
you're dying, and I think thatthat's how you were seeing a lot
of people put off while they'rewaiting till they kids are in
college or waiting till this.
But to just really just takeevery day you don't know how
many days you're going to haveso to really try to live it to
the fullest, I think that'sgreat.
Obviously, you are doing thatbig time.
Speaker 4 (32:28):
Yes, yes yes, yes, I live by the motto I do not get
to choose when I die, but Ishould get to choose how I live.
And every day is a choice, andI just have to keep reminding
myself.
These are the choices I'mmaking.
Do I want to continue to makethese or pivot?
Speaker 6 (32:42):
Yeah, and I love that .
It's the journey for you too,not just the destination.
I think we get so caught up inthe goals and the destination,
but really it's the process andthe journeys that you went
through along the way.
Speaker 4 (32:53):
You're on the top of Everest for 10 minutes, 10
minutes.
You want that journey drilledinto your head.
Go climb Everest and be upthere for 10 minutes.
You're like man.
It's a good thing.
I loved all the things on theway to this point, because maybe
10 minutes.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
That's just a blip in time.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Matt.
Well, you were super inspiring.
I'm excited to read your book.
I love your attitude.
I think it's just a really goodreminder and you did enjoy the
process and enjoy the journeyand not give up.
That's awesome.
So we will definitely include alink to your book or to your
website.
You've got your great podcast.
It's really enjoyable to listento and gosh, just you're the
first.
Guinness World Book for Recordsperson yes, the world's book
(33:35):
too.
Speaker 6 (33:36):
So yeah, yes.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Well, thank you all so much for your time tonight.
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (33:42):
Love you, to speak to you.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
Thank you, bye-bye, bye, I am not sure what to do
(34:03):
with it.
Oh amazing, my heart was racinglistening to our talk.
Speaker 5 (34:06):
I know.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Just thinking about like we should talk about doing
the steps.
Oh gosh.
That would be a big held to thenote for me.
Speaker 6 (34:13):
Well, just the cold, and then of itself and like and
the whole frostbite and like howdo you train?
That's the thing.
Cause like, yeah, you train forlike marathons, you train for
triathlons, things like that,but when it's when it's that
cold and you have that manyobstacles and people are
literally dying.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
It's just unforgiving , unpredictable.
Not that, like you know,training for a marathon, or I
mean, cause that is again, youdo not see me running a marathon
, or doing triathlons no.
No, but when you talk to like,when you hear those stories of
these people that have, that'samazing, they have done these
summits cause you really are upagainst mother nature at its
(34:55):
most brutal Right.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
How do you Pull, like , yeah, like.
How do you To make sure it'sokay?
Speaker 3 (35:00):
How long do you train for?
And I wish I had asked thatlike cause, that's like how,
like, how long do you train forthat?
So you, you had this accidentand I totally get it, like you
know.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
I didn't say like she trained very long, because she
said like the accident was in2018.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
Six months, yeah, she's.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
I think the most important is the team approach,
like having people who have beenthere with you, have done this
maybe before Girl.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
I'm saying a thousand percent, I know Hands down.
Speaker 5 (35:28):
But you have to be surrounded by like in your life.
You'd have to be surrounded bypeople like yourself, because I
know, if I came to my family andsaid I'm going to do this,
they'd all go, you're crazy orhave fun.
Speaker 6 (35:40):
No, you're not Cause, I'm not.
No, no, no.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
But it would be met by no, you're absolutely won't
be doing that Like that'sridiculous Right Like I'm not
the option number two, checkingmom into a mental health
facility.
Because, yeah, like I am, thisis not I'm Cuckoo for Cocoa Pops
.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Yeah, but yeah, cause like that is again, and I don't
there is no discount as far aslike training for all these
other things.
A thousand percent, I mean Istill I couldn't do those either
, but you are literally upagainst mother nature.
Speaker 5 (36:11):
You're taking your life into your hands.
Speaker 3 (36:13):
So unpredictable, it's a twist of fate.
It's like how do you train forthat?
Speaker 2 (36:21):
When she said that all of her friends know if
you're going to be friends withher, you have to hike, I was
like we wouldn't have beenfriends.
Oh no.
Speaker 6 (36:26):
I would have been like, yeah, let's go.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
I mean I'd walk around the lake, not in the cold
.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
I'll text you and say go get them.
Yeah, I'll time you.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
I'll sit in the car, my Starbucks and time you go.
Speaker 6 (36:37):
See, I would think I would do it.
It's just the cold that wouldget me Like, if I go to ski, I
love it, but then I'm like atthe end of the day I'm like, oh,
the fireplace and the you knowhot chocolate or whatever.
I think it's just like, that'sbut to be.
Can you imagine being in thatkind of cold?
Speaker 5 (36:49):
No, and.
Speaker 6 (36:50):
I love the cold.
I couldn't do it.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
I don't and I cannot.
It's brutal Like I have seen,like videos and stuff of you
know the climbers, and like thewind gusts and it's just but I
just, I do think you know it'ssuch a testament to her spirit
and just the sense of when youhave such something happen to,
(37:14):
instead of I don't want to say,but you know, like just get into
that.
Like, yeah, like exactly Likeyou act like you really do, like
you're a phoenix.
You rise you rise and you'relike okay, this is, this is a
new life, right?
So I think that that's what'sso important.
Like okay, so none of us aregoing to go climb Mount Everest.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
I don't know.
I see Pam like spinning herhead now she's like I'm tight.
Speaker 6 (37:39):
I would, I would do if it were not for the cold.
Literally, I would go.
Speaker 5 (37:43):
So I meant to do it next week.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
I'll do that one with you.
Speaker 5 (37:47):
I know I will do that .
Speaker 3 (37:49):
But I do love cause you know what.
Everyone has a different MountEverest 100%, you know and I
think that that's what's soamazing about her story.
Is that her literally MountEverest was that.
But each person out therethat's listening, each one of us
we've had our own car crash.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
We've had our own.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
Mount Everest, and I think that that's what I just so
love about this process is thatwe find those little nuggets of
it and it just continues toempower women to just push, push
through and, you know, findtheir Mount Everest, whatever
that is, you know.
Speaker 2 (38:28):
Well, that's a.
She gave me the title, yeah,and I was like what the?
Speaker 6 (38:34):
but she doesn't give up and she's she's very
resilient and she's willing tosay, like this didn't work out.
But maybe the universe istelling me something else.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
And that's a message that every single person
listening, and really everysingle person on this planet
needs to hear versus.
Speaker 6 (38:51):
that was hard.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
I'm giving up it was like oh my God, maybe there's a.
I got hurt and I had somethingreally bad happen to me and I'm
just going to stay in this, inthis place, because that's
really not.
I just don't think that's whatthe universe is.
It's not what it's meant to dofor you.
So, yeah, I just think it's.
It's such a powerful messagethat you, no matter what life
(39:13):
throws your way you got to yougot to keep climbing.
Speaker 5 (39:17):
Keep on keeping up.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
Wasn't there a Miley Cyrus song about that.
There we go, there we go Lisa,we can release that.
Speaker 5 (39:29):
I love that one.
I do too, yes, I think, yeah,you probably need to release for
him.
I do.
I will say I do think if youhave seven children you can
pretty much do anything, thoughAbsolutely Again.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
Two children, seven dogs and I said a twin's, five
boys and seven twins.
Speaker 5 (39:47):
She had seven children under the age of eight.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
Maybe she would climb the mountain.
Speaker 5 (39:52):
Maybe she, maybe that was just to get away, that
would.
That would, if I had.
Okay, I will tell you thisright now.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
If Ashley Badoski had seven children, I would, for
wreaking I would have.
I would have been the holder ofthat title.
Speaker 6 (40:09):
Okay.
So can I tell you is this crazythat when she was saying she
was at the game for her son'sgame for an hour and a half and
she had the step with like thewaters of the?
Speaker 2 (40:17):
back pack.
Speaker 6 (40:18):
I just figured that was like that's a great idea.
Oh gosh, not me.
I was like this is a great idea, I love this idea.
Speaker 5 (40:23):
No, I would still be in the car with my Starbuck's.
I love this.
Speaker 6 (40:28):
I'm going to be at somebody's game With my T-Nose
water bottle yeah.
Sip, sip, come on guys.
That's a great idea, is it not?
Speaker 3 (40:37):
No, okay.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
That one's turning on me now.
Speaker 5 (40:42):
No.
But you know what that's youridea, you go to you and we will
clap and we will cheer.
We will cheer you.
Speaker 6 (40:49):
I was like oh girl thank you for that good idea.
I love this.
You're going to be that mom.
You're going to see me at theStarzmille game when my little
steps open down, opened to thebleachers.
Speaker 5 (40:58):
There's Pam.
There's Pam Up her mountain.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
Yeah, exactly, all right.
Speaker 5 (41:03):
Cheers to your mountains.
Cheers to your mountains, yeahcheers to mountains and
overcoming.
Oh, and there's like the sandmusic, climb every mountain as
well.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
There's so many songs .
There's so many songs.
It is Okay, yeah, mountains,cheers and that's it for today's
episode.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
I hope you enjoyed it .
I hope you enjoyed it.
I'll see you next time.
Thanks for watching.
Once again, thank you so muchfor joining us and we'll catch
(41:54):
you in the next episode of theMiddle Age-ish podcast.
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