--- title: Moving forward, slowly, slowly description: "St. Luke's Head of Upper School Liz Perry reflects on the question, \"What's the hardest thing you've ever done?\"" image: https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/simon-berger-twukN12EN7c-unsplash%20copy.jpg --- [![](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/logo-2025.png)](https://www.stlukesct.org/) [![SLS-Logo-2025-white](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/SLS-Logo-2025-white.png)](http://www.stlukesct.org/) ![blogleadingvoices banner.jpg](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/StLukesSchoolDec2016/image/blogleadingvoices%20%20banner.jpg?width=1000&name=blogleadingvoices%20%20banner.jpg "blogleadingvoices banner.jpg")  [Inquire](https://stlukesct.myschoolapp.com/page/admissions/apply-to-sls/inquire-online) [Visit](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/admissions/visit-us) [Apply](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/admissions/apply-to-sls)    # [Moving forward, slowly, slowly](https://blog.stlukesct.org/admissiontips-0) by [Liz Perry](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/liz-perry) ![Liz Perry: Assistant Head of School for Academics](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/Perry_Elizabeth470-1.jpg) Recently, I was asked, ### *What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?* Immediately, my mind went to a journey I had taken. A 19,341-foot-journey up Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. I had done the climb with my father, a group of climbers and an experienced guide. It was a grueling climb that required months of preparation and a strong body and mind. We made it to the summit and a picture of my dad and me from that day sits on my dresser as a reminder of our perseverance, dedication, hard work, and the incredible experience. ![Screen Shot 2020-09-18 at 8.30.42 AM](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202020-09-18%20at%208.30.42%20AM.png?width=2870&name=Screen%20Shot%202020-09-18%20at%208.30.42%20AM.png) Looking at that photo, I often reflect back on the lessons I learned from that climb: 1. I can do hard things. 2. Ask for encouragement when you need it. 3. Find beauty in unexpected places. 4. Things that seem permanent are not. 5. For some journeys, we need a guide. 6. Accept help. Most importantly, I learned to move slowly, to take one step and then another.  There are much harder things than climbing a mountain—just look back at the last six months, and you will find many. But as we continue to face adversity and challenges, I hope you can take the story of my journey and remind yourself to just keep moving forward, slowly, slowly. Please listen to my mediation video, where I tell the story of this journey.   - - - - [![Watch a pre-recorded Welcome Webinar](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2035825/c1fb366a-9b18-4b5b-91ee-fc66cdef5166.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2035825/c1fb366a-9b18-4b5b-91ee-fc66cdef5166)         ## Leave a comment ### Get our latest blog posts! ![Liz Perry: Assistant Head of School for Academics](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/Perry_Elizabeth470-1.jpg) [Liz Perry](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/liz-perry) Liz Perry is St. Luke's Assistant Head of School for Academics. She chairs the Upper School Academic Council and is a member of the Equity Leadership Team and the Faculty Growth and Renewal Team. Liz empowers her team to be bold and creative as they inspire deeper, student-centered learning. Prior to joining St. Luke's in 2013, Liz taught English and was the Director of Educational Design and Innovation at The Berkeley Carroll School in Brooklyn, NY, where she was the recipient of the John Reidy Award for outstanding contributions. Before that, Liz was an English teacher, working at Escola Graduada de São Paulo (the American School of São Paulo, Brazil), The Brimmer and May School in Boston, and Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Liz also serves on the faculty of the Klingenstein Center, part of Teachers College at Columbia University. ![profile_icon.png](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/profile_icon.png?width=200&height=200&name=profile_icon.png) ### By Author - [Amber Berry: Former Head of Middle School ( 2 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/amber-berry) - [Beth Yavenditti: Director of Global Education ( 3 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/beth-yavenditti-director-of-global-education) - [Carrie Meatto: Spanish Teacher ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/carrie-meatto-spanish-teacher) - [Daphne Teittinen-Schreck: ESS Director ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/daphne-teittinen-schreck-ess-director) - [Dr. Jason Haynes: History Chair ( 2 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/dr-jason-haynes-history-chair) - [Dr. Stephanie Bramlett: Former Director of Inclusive Excellence ( 2 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/dr-stephanie-bramlett-former-director-of-inclusive-excellence) - [Gareth Fancher: Director of Emotional Intelligence ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/gareth-fancher-director-of-emotional-intelligence) - [Georgia Rosenberg '19: Student ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/georgia-rosenberg-19-student) - [Hunter Martin: Summer Program Director ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/hunter-martin-summer-program-director) - [Jacqueline Nelson: Director of Equity and Inclusion ( 4 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/jacqueline-nelson-director-of-equity-and-inclusion) - [Jane Olsen: Fifth Grade Teacher (retired) ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/jane-olsen) - [Jason Giffen: Director of Enrollment Management ( 4 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/jason-giffen-director-of-enrollment-management) - [Jessie Samuel, Fifth Grade Science Teacher ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/jessie-samuel-fifth-grade-science-teacher) - [Jim Foley: Asst. 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[REQUEST MORE INFO](https://info.stlukesct.org/get-started) - [Come Visit Us](http://www.stlukesct.org/page/admissions/visit-us) - [Apply Now](http://www.stlukesct.org/page/admissions/apply-to-sls) - [Make a Gift Today](http://www.stlukesct.org/page/community/giving-at-st-lukes) - [![Facebook](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/StLukesSchoolDec2016/image/Facebook.png)](http://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Lukes-School/44751060933) - [![instagram](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/StLukesSchoolDec2016/image/Instagram.png)](http://instagram.com/stlukesct) - [![twitter](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/StLukesSchoolDec2016/image/Twitter.png)](https://twitter.com/stlukesschool) - [![youtube](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/StLukesSchoolDec2016/image/YouTube.png)](https://www.youtube.com/user/stlukes377/featured) - [![pinterest](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/StLukesSchoolDec2016/image/Pinterest.png)](https://www.pinterest.com/stlukesct/) - [![linkedin](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/StLukesSchoolDec2016/image/LinkedIn.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/st--luke%27s-school) St. Luke’s School is a secular private school in New Canaan, Connecticut for grades 5 through 12 serving 25 towns in Connecticut and New York. 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