The Trailogy of the Emotional Sherpa®
The Trailogy of the Emotional Sherpa®
Pilot
An Emotional Sherpa is the type of traveler who kindly takes on the heavy burden of his hiking partners. They take charge of making sure each person in their party has a happy and safe journey through the unpredictable, mysterious, incredibly beautiful, but sometimes lonely and dangerous territory called life.
Most Emotional Sherpas assume this impossible role unknowingly. They tend to have well calibrated inner compasses and big hearts. And of course, the best of intentions. The hikers who join (or are assigned) these Emotional Sherpa’s life expeditions tend to heap their rucksacks onto the Emotional Sherpa’s willing shoulders. These strong, caring Sherpas do a ton of work during these expeditions to the point the other members start expecting the Emotional Sherpa to do some of their hard work along the trail of life. It’s like when the blade of a buck knife slices a finger of the user when the person is on autopilot after too many days on the trail. The buck knife is an essential tool, and at the same time can cause great harm if used inappropriately or carelessly.
Many Emotional Sherpas recite this mantra, ” Sleep pretty darling, I will travel your difficult terrain for you. I will carry your weight for a long time. So long in fact, you won’t get a chance to fall into life’s crevasses. So long you start heading into treacherous territory without any supplies.
And in the end, the well calibrated inner compass and big heart of the strong, caring Emotional Sherpa is lost on his own life expedition.
Once there was a way to get back homeward. Where is home?
The Emotional Sherpa works so hard to ensure his life expedition travelers get home safely, and in the end he’s lost and his party disbands!
Here are a few Tips from the Trail as you ponder this allegory.
1. Are you, or do you know who the Emotional Sherpa is on your life expedition? When we struggle in our relationships, it’s essential for us to turn Facetime toward ourselves (it’s not always the best look) and consider our role in our relationships.
2. The first step on this journey is awareness. If you are the Emotional Sherpa, your headlamp has to illuminate your need to carry the weight of others.
3. Once the light is on, it’s not easy to turn off. Our eyes, and overtime our hearts will grow accustom to the light. It’s during this period of time we can choose another path. This is when we have to pull out some new maps, take some navigational courses, and learn new ways of traveling. Some of us can do this alone, while others need help.
4. If you know you are an Emotional Sherpa consider reciting this mantra, “I cannot do anyone’s journey but my own. My fellow hikers must carry their own weight even during difficult passages.”
I hope this Trailogy speaks to you. Let me know.
Happy trails, Allison
