When a baby is learning how to walk, they fall down a lot. But they get back up and try again. Everyone is helping them, and encouraging them to keep trying. Cheering for them when they finally take a few steps. We are not afraid if the child falls, because we all know the child is going to keep improving. Eventually they will learn to walk.
It is the same when a child learns to ride a bike. Now, the child might have some fear and need more encouragement. Falling off a bike is a little more scary than falling off your feet.
Climbing and bouldering is like learning to walk, or how to ride a bike.
But we are adults now, so we survived Jr high. But we have been laughed at, teased, and made fun of, for anything and everything. We are painfully aware of our imperfections. Fearing failure, we care too much about what other people think.
I was super self-conscious when I started bouldering. I did not want people to watch me. I did not want them to see me fall. Actually, I would only climb the easy routes, which I knew I could complete. Because I was afraid to fail.
Eventually, I started watching other people boulder. I realized everyone falls. Instead of people laughing at them, everyone is cheering them on, encouraging them to try again, and giving ideas of what to do differently. When a Boulderer makes it past the place where they fell last time, everyone cheers and is so excited for them. Even if they do not finish the climb.
If someone tried, fell, and then never tried again, we would all be sad to see them give up, so easily.
I realized that people who are watching me climb, are cheering for me and want to see me succeed. That is empowering. Now I boulder better, when I know people are watching. Even more-so if it is my friends. There is a tension in the air, as the people watching are holding their breath. But there is also a lot of energy. That energy fuels me.
So when I post videos of me climbing, I do not mean to show off or to brag. But I hope to be an encouraging story for others. You saw me fall 50 times, and then make a scary, challenging move, and succeed. My hope is to encourage you to keep trying. No matter how many times you fall, get back up. I wish it was like that in all areas of life. Image how great it would be, if we knew everyone around us was cheering for us, and celebrating our successes.
