Much of our lives are spent wearing masks.

Bound by social conventions, there are things we are uncomfortable discussing, particularly with strangers or new acquaintances.

But spend 10 days trekking through Nepal’s Annapurna circuit and sharing a squat toilet with people, peeing on the side of the road while others walk by (you need to stay hydrated after all) and pretty soon, you get into the real stuff.

The “DMC’s” (Deep Meaningful Conversations), as my kids would say.

I joined a group of 10 other men (mostly in the 50-55 range) for such a trip.

I knew only one of the people going in (and not particularly well), but I figured that anyone who was up for such an adventure was my kind of person.

I was right.

People crave authenticity.

They crave the ability to be open and vulnerable.

But there are few places and times where such behavior is welcomed or expected, particularly for men.

Getting out of your comfort zone, ascending 2500 feet in 3 hours in freezing weather, walking for hours, not having showers for days, wearing the same clothes, and doing it all in an environment that severely reduces the “noise” of day to day life (though having 100 MB wifi in a building adjacent to a squat toilet is kind of a mind blow), is such a place.

I’m not saying that everyone needs to go climb a mountain or trek in Nepal.

What I am saying is that, if you can find a group of people who are willing to collectively “opt-in” to an experience and an environment where all will experience shared duress, you’re going to get a lot more out of it.

The scenery of Nepal is breathtaking. The vastness is overwhelming. The mountains have a way of making you feel small and humble.

But, the people on the journey with you, they’re the ones who will really elevate you.

HT to David Siegel and Vib for making this trip happen.

Much of our lives are spent wearing masks.

Bound by social conventions, there are things we are uncomfortable discussing, particularly with strangers or new acquaintances.

But spend 10 days trekking through Nepal’s Annapurna circuit and sharing a squat toilet with people, peeing on the side of the road while others walk by (you need to stay hydrated after all) and pretty soon, you get into the real stuff.

The “DMC’s” (Deep Meaningful Conversations), as my kids would say.

I joined a group of 10 other men (mostly in the 50-55 range) for such a trip.

I knew only one of the people going in (and not particularly well), but I figured that anyone who was up for such an adventure was my kind of person.

I was right.

People crave authenticity.

They crave the ability to be open and vulnerable.

But there are few places and times where such behavior is welcomed or expected, particularly for men.

Getting out of your comfort zone, ascending 2500 feet in 3 hours in freezing weather, walking for hours, not having showers for days, wearing the same clothes, and doing it all in an environment that severely reduces the “noise” of day to day life (though having 100 MB wifi in a building adjacent to a squat toilet is kind of a mind blow), is such a place.

I’m not saying that everyone needs to go climb a mountain or trek in Nepal.

What I am saying is that, if you can find a group of people who are willing to collectively “opt-in” to an experience and an environment where all will experience shared duress, you’re going to get a lot more out of it.

The scenery of Nepal is breathtaking. The vastness is overwhelming. The mountains have a way of making you feel small and humble.

But, the people on the journey with you, they’re the ones who will really elevate you.

HT to David Siegel and Vib for making this trip happen.