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| 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!
Great post! Mike & I were up in Big Bear this weekend and I had one of those "a'ha" moments as we walked along a lake trail. There were 3 levels to the trail: one closest to the highway, a 2nd more in the trees and nature and the last-closest to the lakes edge, serene and quiet. We alternated between the 2 lower trails on the way out and returning, we were hot & thristy and took the faster, if nosier, top trail. I found myself becoming annoyed by the traffic sounds and I was wishing I was back down at the water's edge when it occurred to be that it was all about what I choose to foccus on. The traffic is always going to be there and I can choose to foccus on that OR with just a small shift in my gaze, I can make the choice to turn and look at the lake...I can choose the beauty and the serenity or the traffic and the noise....it seems like a no brainer as I type this....but it had a profound message about life for me on Saturday afternoon. My choice where I foccus my gaze, my time, my energy....Thanks for sharing your experience! Karen
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! I can't wait to see the scars from the latest adventure. Aren't they (scars), after all, reminders of a great story, links to an adventurous thrill and the result of taking a chance. Whether they are physical, mental or emotional scars, they are all proof they one has pushed passed the limit they had initially set for themselves. They have used an opportunity to learn and to come out on the other side with more experience, more courage, and more belief in ones self when obstacles of adversity are presented in life again. I am so happy you have chosen to stay in the saddle, I can't wait to learn together on the next ride, who knows, maybe we will even get matching scars!
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