Meet Shareez Bagaria, a modern-day adventurer on an extraordinary journey to scale some of the world’s most challenging mountains.Not just for their summits, but to remind us all that the highest peaks we climb are often the ones within ourselves.
At 46, many people are looking to slow down. But Shareez Bagaria is doing just the opposite. The Hillcrest-based life coach, mother of two, children’s book author and former provincial athlete is strapping on her crampons and heading to Russia this month for her second attempt at Mount Elbrus – the highest peak in Europe.
For her, it’s not just another climb but the second step in her personal quest to conquer The Seven Summits – the highest mountain on each continent.
But scaling mountains is just one-way Shareez embodies courage. Through her life coaching business, her writing and her adventurous life, she’s showing others, especially women, that it’s never too late to rise, rebuild and reach new heights.
Shareez’s journey began in corporate HR, where she spent more than two decades leading, developing and mentoring others. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in industrial psychology, she found herself increasingly drawn to the personal side of people’s growth. “I’ve always loved telling someone, ‘You’re amazing – keep going’,” she says. That instinct evolved into a new career … life coaching.
Today, she helps people navigate everything from identity and purpose to trauma and transitions. Her approach is deeply rooted in compassion, kindness and faith. As a Christian life coach, she often integrates scripture and biblical principles – not to preach, but to provide purpose. “Faith is universal,” she says. “We all believe in something. If clients are open to it, we lean into that faith to reframe their doubts and fears.”
She describes coaching as one of the most rewarding careers out there. “You see the direct impact you have on someone’s life. And sometimes, all a person needs is a shift in perspective to unlock their full potential.”
One client’s story still brings tears to her eyes. “I was coaching a young woman who had endured a traumatic childhood,” Shareez recalls. “She became a people-pleaser with no boundaries, especially in relationships, and even attempted suicide.” Her mother, having experienced her own transformation through coaching, gifted her daughter a course with Shareez. “It was life changing. By the end of the programme she had completed her BSc Degree, landed an internship, and, more importantly, began taking care of herself. She finally understood the power of ‘no’ and the necessity of self-love.”
In addition to one-on-one coaching, she co-hosts Moments with Tops and Shareez, a powerful quarterly brunch series for women in the Upper Highway area. What started as a collaboration with local entrepreneur Tops Mkhwanazi, who promotes authentic connection, has grown into something profound.
Themes like Purpose in the Pain and Showing Up Imperfectly draw women from all walks of life to spark raw and real conversations. “There is power in collective storytelling,” Shareez says. “People want to be heard. And once they are, healing begins.”
When it comes to the call of the summit and conquering mountains, inside and out, Shareez says it all started with a hike in the Drakensberg.
“I loved the sense of peace and challenge.” That love soon evolved into a goal: to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. And she did in 2022, and the adventure bug bit hard. Mount Kenya followed in 2023. And now Mount Elbrus looms ahead.
Set at a punishing 5,642m in Russia’s Caucasus Mountains, Elbrus is notorious for its severe cold, unpredictable snowstorms, and energy-sapping altitude. “Summit day involves a similar gain in height to Kilimanjaro,” she explains, “but the icy terrain and heavy boots make it far more demanding.”
Her first attempt in 2023 fell just 150m short of the summit due to weather – but the setback only sharpened her resolve. “I cried. Then I said, ‘I’m coming back.’ Failure, to me, is just feedback. Every climb teaches you something new.”
This month, provided the unrest between Russia and the Ukraine doesn’t hinder her plans, she will climb solo with a Russian guide. “I’ve done all my climbs alone so far. I actually love the solitude. It lets me focus on the mountain and the moment.” Training physically and preparing mentally, she’s ready to dig deep. “You can’t always plan for everything. But you can choose to keep moving – one step at a time.”
For Shareez, mountain climbing is more than a physical challenge – it’s a metaphor for life and her coaching philosophy. “We are all climbing metaphorical mountains in life. We carry emotional backpacks. We journey through valleys where it’s cold and lonely and then find ourselves on mountain tops where the views are spectacular. Sometimes we walk alone. Sometimes with others. But one of the greatest lessons the mountains have taught me is to keep my head down, not focus on the summit, and just take the next step. Life is exactly like that.”
As a mother to Shay (15) and Luna (8), Shareez sees her adventures as life lessons for her children – and for others. That’s part of what inspired her children’s book, Luna’s Journey: A Tale of Grit and Courage. It follows a little girl who faces fear, self-doubt and a few mean classmates, only to discover that she is stronger than she knows – echoing real moments from Shareez’s own Kilimanjaro summit night.
“It was midnight, freezing and dark. I had barely slept. That climb tested everything in me,” she remembers. “But I kept going. And I wanted Luna, and other kids, to know they can too.”
The book, inspired by her daughter and dedicated to building mental strength in children, is available at major retailers including Exclusive Books, Bargain Books, Takealot, Loot, and Lapa for R160.
And the message goes deeper. “For parents, we need to let our children fail sometimes – drop the ball, put on banana feet shoes, and mess up. Don’t bubble-wrap them emotionally or physically,” Shareez urges. “I’ve been guilty of it too. But there are greater lessons in failure than in success. Children are braver than you think and stronger than you know. Resilience is a muscle – the more you use it, the more it grows.”
Whether she’s in a coaching session or halfway up a snow-capped mountain, Shareez’s message is clear. Don’t let fear or comfort dictate your life. “Too many people stay stuck because they think it’s safer. But growth comes from discomfort. If I want to inspire people, I must live that truth – not just talk about it.”
That’s why the Seven Summits challenge is her way of showing that with discipline, grit and faith anyone can do hard things. “I’ve seen blind women summit Everest. I’ve seen amputees on Denali. So what’s my excuse? What’s yours?”
Despite her many roles – coach, author, mountaineer, businesswoman – Shareez remains grounded in faith and family. “My identity isn’t in what I achieve,” she reflects. “It’s in who God created me to be.” Her late father, a dedicated teacher and school principal, passed down his love of books and unwavering work ethic – values she now lives out and passes on.
She hopes her children remember her as “kind but tough, strong yet compassionate,” and as someone who didn’t waste the gifts God gave her. “When my time comes, I want to hear Him say, ‘Well done.’ That’s the legacy I want.”
As she is in the final throes of prepping to climb Mount Elbrus, Shareez is already showing the world that resilience isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a way of life. Her story reminds us that success isn’t measured by titles or trophies, but by impact, intention, and the courage to keep climbing – no matter how steep the path.
Looking ahead, Shareez plans to keep climbing – both literally and figuratively. “This year, I also did the Namib 100 – hiking 100km across the desert in Namibia. It was a completely different challenge: sand dunes instead of snow.” With more adventure trips on the cards and a growing coaching practice, her journey is far from over.
Details: You can follow Shareez on socials: IG: @metamorphosis_life_coaching_ and @lunalearns_2309 or FB: Shareez Bagaria and Metamorphosis Life Coaching
