This week’s habit is all about presence, a theme that feels deeply personal and aligned with where I am right now, both physically and emotionally. It’s the quietest habit yet, and possibly the most important one.
Quick Summary: Presence as Identity Development
As I write this, I’m hours away from boarding a plane to begin the climb up Mount Kilimanjaro. Six months of training, planning, and committing have led here. For me, this climb is really about identity development, letting an old version of myself fall away one step at a time.
Why the Training Is Done
The boots have walked countless trails. The legs have pushed through fatigue. The mind has been tested again and again. But now there’s no more training to be done. We’re as ready as we’ll ever be.
From here on, it’s no longer about physical strength. It’s about mental presence, and about the quieter work of identity development that no amount of physical training can substitute for.
What Prepared Me for This
Over the last few weeks, I’ve explored the power of gratitude, the importance of the first five minutes after waking, and the quiet impact of evening routines.
All of these practices shaped the foundation I’m standing on now. They’ve prepared me to meet this moment not just with strength, but with awareness and intention, which is really what identity development looks like in practice: small, repeated habits compounding into a different way of being.
Why This Climb Is About Letting Go
Climbing Kilimanjaro is more than a physical feat. Every step I take, I’m choosing to let go of what no longer serves me: old energy, old stories, old limitations, things I’ve carried for far too long.
I’ve decided this climb will mark a closure, a real piece of identity development, the shedding of a past version of me. Not a dramatic reinvention, but a quiet, deliberate release, one step, one breath at a time.
Choosing to Be In It, Not Just Through It
Presence is powerful. Living such busy lives, we don’t practise it enough, particularly in moments of challenge, discomfort, or uncertainty. And I know there will be plenty of those ahead. The altitude, the cold, the fatigue- it’s all part of the experience, and part of the identity development I’m choosing to lean into rather than avoid.
But I’m not going there just to reach the summit. I’m going to be in it, with the mountain, with our group, the porters, the guides, with the stillness, the silence, and even the struggle. I want to feel it all, because that’s where real identity development actually happens, not in the achievement, but in how fully you’re present for it.
There’s a simple beauty in choosing to be fully present. Not rushing the moment. Not wishing it away. Just breathing it in, as it is. This is the same grounded work I explore with women inside Reclaim Her, and the same steady commitment I hold myself to each week inside Promise Kept.
Conclusion
Presence is my mission for the climb, and it’s my invitation to you this week too. Whether you’re climbing your own metaphorical mountain or simply moving through a busy week, try to slow down. Notice the little things. Pay attention to your breath. Be with the people around you, not just physically present, but actually there.
If you’re curious how presence supports your own identity development, you can learn more on Transformational Coaching or read more about working together on my Work With Me page. Ask yourself: what are you ready to let go of? How can you be more present?
FAQ’s
Why connect presence with identity development instead of just mindset?
Because presence changes how you experience each moment, and over time, that repeated experience is what reshapes identity, not a single insight.
Do I need a big challenge, like climbing a mountain, to practise presence?
No. A busy week, a hard conversation, or an ordinary morning all offer the same opportunity to slow down and pay attention.
What does “letting go” actually mean during a physical challenge?
Releasing old stories or limitations you’ve attached to yourself, so the experience isn’t filtered through who you used to be.
How can I be more present in daily life?
Start small. Notice your breath, notice the people around you, and resist the urge to rush through ordinary moments.
Is presence something you either have or don’t?
No. It’s a practice, like any habit, and it gets easier and more natural the more consistently it’s chosen.