Category: Above Your Nerve

Last year, I resolved that my motto for the year would be “try hard.” After a year of trying hard, I accomplished a lot of my goals. I sent my first V5 – and many more after that. I also sent my first V6 – and no more after that (yet!). But I also learned that I…

“It’s time to move on, it’s time to get going, what lies ahead I have no way of knowing…” – Tom Petty This little voice has been in the back of my head for almost two years now, calling me to Denver. The only reason I had to stay in Boston was the people – but…

(Or how I learned to empower myself at Rumney.) This weekend, the original plan was to head up to Rumney with a couple of friends. A few days of camping and cragging sounded perfect, until those friends had to cancel. Luckily, another friend was still up for a day trip. The only problem was that…

Inspired by this post by Ash Ambirge – and by climbing, which has taught me that you truly have to commit if you want to make the move. So here is what I am committed to. I am committed to pursuing this life. I am committed to being terrified and trying anyway. I am committed to…

“Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it.” – C. JoyBell C. I reached my hand up and felt the rock above me, searching for a handhold. Nothing felt secure. I looked down, wanting to yell “take!” but realized I…

My friends invited me over for board games, and at one point, we were trying to decide what game to play next. “Do you want to play the one we played last time or learn a new one?” they asked. The one I knew would be easy to start, and I could actually compete to the…

I’m a nomad at heart. I’ve moved around a lot, and I can always find a reason to leave. What I didn’t expect this past year was to find a reason to stay. About a year and a half ago, I moved to Boston for a job. But six months after I got here, I lost…

I started January 1st with a very specific goal. My plan was to go into the gym and crush the project I’d been working on. It would be a new bouldering grade for me, and finishing it seemed like the perfect way to start the new year. But when I got to the gym and looked at…

The air felt heavy on Wednesday as I walked to the climbing gym. My feet moved forward, while my mind spun. I attempted to climb, because that is what usually helps me when things are hard, but it didn’t work this time. I lay on the mats, filled with sadness and fear. Thinking that maybe I…

Have you ever met a stranger who spoke your truth to you right when you needed to hear it the most? As so many of my stories start, a girl walked into a bar. In Iceland. I was in the country to celebrate my 35th birthday. Iceland had been my dream destination for years, and,…