“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 was well above my last bolt.
There was no down-climbing now. I could only attempt to go up.
So I did. I grasped the best handhold I could find, stepped my feet up, and continued on to clip the next bolt. (Then I yelled take.)
I had put myself in a position where I needed to try, even though I was scared.
Those are the moments that I’m trying to cultivate in my life. I might hate them when they’re happening, but they are what move me forward and lead me to grow.
Climbing has helped me embrace those moments, because I can see very clearly how they force me out of my comfort zone and show me that I’m capable of more.
The moments when it’s scary. The moments when it’s hard. The moments when you don’t want to make the effort. The moments when you want to quit.
That’s why you have to put yourself in a position where you can’t give up. Where you don’t have a backup plan. Where you have to take the chance.
Climb a little bit higher. Go above your last bolt.
Try something new. Make the big change.
Maybe you’ll fall. Maybe your plans will fall apart.
But you’ll learn that you are capable of moving past your fear.
And that’s moving forward.