Even though it was only as tall as a house, it was intimidating to stand below the rock face knowing I was down here and I needed to get up there. But how? I scanned the face for holds and cracks, just like all the professional rock climbers I have been binge-watching from Reel Rock, and figured out a route up with a series of holds. Only my third-time rock climbing. My first outdoor belay. You got this, girl!
My mini-me teammate came over to tie in and belay me from below. She saw me scanning the route and advised: “It looks a lot different when you’re up there.”
“Yeah well,” I said, “I like to think six steps ahead.”
That’s me! I started up the rock with a few swift moves just like I imagined, already a few feet or so off the ground—climbing with my legs, not with my arms.
And then I was stuck.
My left arm extended above me, feeling all around. All my hand felt was a mound of ripply rock. Nothing to grab. I tried with my right hand. Nope, I was just hugging a big ole round rock. My teammates encouraged me to keep going from below.
“You guys. There is literally NOTHING to grab on!!” I shouted down.
Clearly grabbing wasn’t going to work. I needed to try something else. Something different. The peanut gallery from below made a helpful suggestion on new footholds. Then my gut said: push. Huh? Defying logic, I pushed hard, shoving my left palm into the groovy face, leveraging my arm and core strength in unison as I pushed up with my legs, mounting the curved rock until I could grab a hold above it with my right hand.
I made it to the top and looked down. My climbing partner was right: “It looks a lot different when you’re up there.”
This is a constant struggle.
Complexity overshadowing simplicity.
Making life harder than it needs to be. Than it is.
For years, I have tried to learn simplicity. Constantly downsizing my life in half, year-over-year, and still my cup runneth over. Convinced simplicity lies in the essentials, necessitating cutting out everything else. Yet, I have tried unsuccessfully to master the art of saying No. My commitment to live life to the fullest continually finding me too busy and missing what matters most.
Because life is complex.
But that doesn’t mean it’s hard. We make it hard.
When we try to control it, to dominate it, instead of just living it.
It’s as simple as that.
Being back at the indoor rock climbing walls of the Mazamas Mountaineering Center last weekend was way less intimidating the second time around—and after we’d been out on real rock at Horsethief Butte the previous weekend.
Perhaps it was the fatigue of having hiked all day or having just broken through some fears in my previous rappel. I was too tired to think. I stepped up to a big wall ready to practice—just climbing.
Not fast, not fancy, not advanced, but I found a flow. One hold after another.
I wonder what happens when I try this?
Before I knew it, I was high-fiving the top anchor.
Interestingly, it wasn’t about saying No to most of the holds. It was about saying Yes to just one of the holds.
One at a time.
Letting curiosity lead.
And intuition follow.
Because we know how to live. If we let ourselves.
It’s that simple.
May you simplify and go for it this week!
Love,
Jules
I share a lesson learned about integrity every Monday. Sign up for delivery right to your inbox. Want more? There’s lots more lessons learned here on my blog, so have fun exploring and commenting about your own insights!