By hiking alone and stepping into nature, I have been digging deeper into myself, step by step, layer by layer, to understand, let go, and evolve the labels I use to describe my identity.
Recognize that the person you knew 10 years ago is not who you are now, and will no longer be who you will be in 10 years.
This spring, while hiking through the snow up Bear Peak in Colorado, I thought about how restrictive labels can be. When we let go of narrowly defined labels and instead articulate our underlying values ​​and beliefs, we are free to move about in a world of possibilities.
For over a decade, I have called myself a “runner.” Most of my outdoor activities and exercise involved some form of running. I never carved out time for hiking (too slow) or other activities because I had to trade off running. Running was my identity. Freedom and open-mindedness came when I embraced the mindset of being an “explorer.” I love experiencing the natural world, seeing awe-inspiring views, and testing my limits through evolving paths.
The shift from “runner” to “explorer” has broadened my horizons, but I didn’t realize it until recently. No matter the season, I’m snowshoeing, skiing, hitting the gym, running, hiking, and biking as part of my explorations. Articulating that inclusive, broad-based mindset has allowed me the freedom to evolve and evolve through the many ways I can embody it.
And it was amazing to experience that.
Other labels have held me back in the past. Through my spiritual quest, I have asked myself, “What does it mean to be a man? What does it mean to be a human being?”
What if we imagined who we could be before expectations were imposed on us and limited our possibilities? Before, we felt the need to “hide” parts of ourselves.Hide, filter, or maskTo be accepted, valued and respected.
I have reflected on my journey and have done a lot to uncover my queerness, my joy, and my voice. I have worked, bit by bit, and adventure by adventure, to make hidden parts of myself visible. I have asked myself: if I let go of the labels, what would be left?
Or rather, What can I become?
This past year has brought a lot of clarity. I have meditated to understand our interconnectedness and my role in it. I have explored the intersection of the material and the awe-inspiring. I have found fertile ground for growth by questioning and stepping into the unknown.
Through this ongoing process, I finally let go of another label that was binding me: What does it mean to be a “man?” I asked myself again.
There are as many definitions of gender as there are people on the planet, and if I were to encompass male and female and everything else, is that a label I believe in or claim for myself?
Finally, while hiking through the wilderness, the answer emerged quietly but surely.
No, I am a human being, and that encompasses everything.
These discoveries, this synthesis, were like digging through the file cabinets of my mind and pulling out dusty files labeled “Men” and “Runners.” I opened them to find them out of date, based on flawed research, and pages of conflicting edits written in pencil and red ink. I slid them into the recycling bin and made space for new files and new ways of thinking to fill the void.
At every turn on the different roads of life, remember to dream broad and take ambitious steps. Remember that your very presence transforms the space, the energy and the mind. Know that transformation is possible and can be experienced everywhere we go. We just need to open ourselves to it.
Josh MillerMBA Queer change maker, speaker, photographer, and outdoor explorer. Described as “a force in our community.” They Co-founder Idea x Lab and (Un)known projectsthe recipient of the 2022 Nonprofit Visionary Leader Award from Louisville Business First and named one of 40 nonprofit organizations by Business Equality Magazine. LGBTQ+ Leaders Under 40 and Louisville Business First’s 40 Under 40.A two-time TEDx speaker, Josh has inspired Fortune 500 companies and audiences around the world. They are the 2022 Soros Equality Fellows and their work is The New York Times, Aspen Institute, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Connect with Josh LinkedIn or Josh Miller Ventures
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