The Truth Will Set You Free When Climbing

Famous playwright Oscar Wilde once said, "I love acting. It is so much more real than life." Hmm . . . clever quote but I'm not sure he was right. So many people live a lot of their lives and even climb their climbs without being very real about their abilities, limitations and uniquenesses. And in the long run, they get hurt by covering up who they really are and pretending they are something or someone they are not.

When I was more actively sport climbing, I would watch these young and more able climbers knocking off their 5.10's, 5.11's and harder. And at times I would be a little embarrassed to walk back to my easier routes knowing I wasn't as good as they were. I was secretly hoping they would think I was in the same category as they were.

But the truth of the matter was that I simply didn't have their youth or skills. The good news was that I didn't need to be like them. If you're a big-time climber you need not be asking yourself why you're not more like Ed Viesturs or Chris Sharma. But you should ask yourself why you're not more like you! God made you the way you are and all you can do is be the best you can be.

If you're climbing a personal mountain like cancer, don't long to be more like the relative or friend you know. Climb your own route at your own pace. If you're grieving, grieve your way. If you've lost a job, learn  from others in your search but blaze your own unique trail to find another one.

When it's all said and done, life is enriched by having all sorts of different people in your life and others will be better by having you around them, too. So accept who you are, where you are and how you got there. There may be some parts of your journey or climb you'd rather change but that's all in the past now.

Your weaknesses, mistakes and limits will actually help you learn to do better in the future and avoid upcoming pitfalls.

So climb on with courage and authenticity. You don't need to fake it. Admire and respect those who are ahead of you. Encourage those who may be behind. But whatever you do, be who you are!  You matter.

Sometimes We Need To Encourage Ourselves

The other day our almost 2 and 1/2 year old grandson was doing something that his parents were trying to teach him to do - draw, pick up after himself, something like that, I don't remember. However, at one point he just turned to the rest of us and said, "Good job me."

Of course we all laughed because he was so unbelievably cute at that moment.

But it made me think that now and then we probably need to say the same things about ourselves especially when we've taken some major steps up our personal mountain. No, I'm not talking about being blatantly arrogant or obnoxiously self-centered.

However, there is a place for "good job me" now and then. Why?

First of all, sometimes we don't get many strokes from other people. Whether we're overcoming cancer or a crevasse we may not have many people around us who verbally encourage us to keep going. People are often caught up in their own struggle or just don't think about how we might need a kind word or two.

Second, we're going to face a lot of negative thoughts and responses on our journey. We need some positive feedback and that can include our own. We need to be reminded now and then that we truly have made some progress.

Third, many of us don't think much of our abilities so a good word from us helps to reshape our view of ourselves and motivate us on to higher heights. Sometimes we may need to remind ourselves of the way God and others really think of us and now and then it doesn't hurt to say it ourselves.

So what might our self-talk look or sound like? It should be simple, honest, short and sweet. Don't spend hours talking about you or you will become arrogant. Just a simple, Way to go, Don, might be enough. You might write it down in a journal so you have some moments to go back and savor. It sometimes helps to have a phrase that you regularly say to yourself over and over. Come up with one that is memorable and helpful to you.

Whatever you do, don't let some sort of misguided humility keep you from saying a few words to yourself that could change your outlook on life and your circumstances.  Yes, don't be afraid to talk to yourself. It really has some pretty major benefits and will help you get to the top.