 |
| Life from another angle... |
I spent this past weekend in an epic, outdoor paradise… Bend, Oregon. All of the stars were aligned for me to JOYFULLY ENGAGE in the adventure of my life, but despite that incredible pull, I found myself flailing… hesitating and ultimately taking a wicked beating from my bike as it hurled through the air off a gnarly root mid-trail.
“What happened?” my endearing husband asked from around the boulder up ahead. Had something malfunctioned with my gear, had I lost my way through a technical section of rocky downhill? Nope… I HESITATED…. I let the fear of “what could be”, rise up and overtake the reality of “what actually is” (a classic derailer) and I was paying for it big time.
In mountain biking, as with many things in life, there is little room for paralyzing self-doubt and fearful, hesitant action. Well, to be clear, there is plenty of opportunity for that… but the feedback from the universe is almost always the same… a painful prompt that the ride COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE FUN! It’s nothing personal, just a reminder of other options and ways of experiencing life.
Pick your line and breathe as you go for it 100%; relax, sit back in the saddle and stay flexible as you cruise over the bumps; anticipate adversity and SHIFT GEARS to better support yourself in successfully riding to the top… these are just a few of the things I’ve learned from my inner rider over the years.
In that moment, with hurt pride and temporarily dampened spirits, I HAD A CHOICE; quit and resign to the fact that it’s just not my thing, or ride on (albeit a little slower) and take this opportunity to learn from the deeper wisdom this situation has presented to me. See for me, this hesitation isn’t just showing up on the trail. Part of my own journey is honing the skill of being able to TRUST THE PROCESS and go for it even when I’m scared, and thankfully today, I made the choice to keep practicing. How about you? Join the conversation and share the LESSONS that keep you getting back on the bike (or board or wall, etc.) time and time again.
Speaking of hesitation... we still have a couple more spots open on our upcoming retreats. Give yourself the gift of adventure and contact me today!
