How to Build Resilience on an Expedition

According to Sally Orange, one of our wonderful ambassadors, it’s in difficult times that we grow, learn and find our inner resilience. We may not always reach our goal, but what we learn and find out about ourselves along the way is both invaluable and enriching.

Sally is renowned for pushing boundaries, breaking world records and overcoming endurance challenges. However, she’s the first to admit that not everything always works out the way she’d want it to.

In February, Sally embarked on an expedition to climb Mount Aconcagua, in the Andes range in Argentina. At just over 6,960 metres, it’s the tallest mountain in the Americas. The other members of the expedition included Hari Budha Magar MBE, a British Army veteran and double above-knee amputee, and Frederic Sfeir, a visually impaired Lebanese adventurer.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances outside her control, Sally was forced to end her expedition early. Although bitterly disappointed, she was able to reframe the experience and grow in resilience. She shares some of the lessons she learnt from the experience.

Ask for help

At base camp, Sally found herself tearful and low. As an advocate for mental-health awareness and someone who has experienced depression and anxiety in the past, she knew it would be sensible to talk to others about how she was feeling.

Take one step at a time

As the group climbed higher, temperatures dropped and the effects of the high altitude increased, causing headaches, breathlessness, insomnia and fatigue. Sally found herself feeling anxious, so she decided to focus on the present rather than the expedition goal.

Shift your mindset

In difficult times, positive things can easily be missed, and Sally made an extra effort to focus on the good things going on in that moment.

Reframe your experience

At the final camp before the summit, Sally had the disappointing news that the team she was walking with would be returning to base camp. Frederic, who had done extremely well, had reached his physical limit just 400 metres short of the summit. The guide they shared would be required to accompany Frederic back down the mountain. Sally couldn’t climb to the summit unaccompanied. Despite being crestfallen, she decided to reframe the experience.

Sally also celebrated raising awareness for two causes close to her heart. For the first part of the expedition, she had worn a grape costume. Sally often dresses in fruit costumes for her challenges as a fun way to start conversations about mental health.

She was also thrilled that she’d managed to plant the Army Cadets’ flag at 6,600 metres.

Set new goals

Resilience is the ability to adapt to adversity and bounce back after a mishap or failure. Being resilient after failing to reach a goal could mean having another attempt at achieving it, modifying it so it’s more realistic, or completely abandoning the goal and setting a new one.

Sally’s tips for supporting good mental health within an expedition team

• Check in with each other regularly, not just when someone looks down or upset, so you get a sense of each other’s general wellbeing.
• Try using a number, from one to ten, as a quick way to check on each other’s wellbeing – with one being unwell and ten being on top of the world.
• People feeling anxious, low or upset may find it hard to talk to others or ask for support, so it can help if a teammate asks if they’re OK and starts a chat.
• Talking can help people to process their feelings, but it might take more than one chat. Keep creating opportunities to talk, even if the person seems happier.
• Don’t be afraid to ask an adult volunteer to check on a teammate if you think they need some extra support.

Embarking on an expedition is one of the best parts of being a cadet. Why not step into something new and amazing? Dod o hyd i ddatgysylltiad i ddechrau.