Balance and Dreams
- January 2011
- Hi Steph Simple Living Training
Hi Steph!
I just found your blog over my winter break. I started climbing on an Outward Bound course this summer (Table Rock and the Chimneys, NC – pretty easy from what I’ve heard since – at the time I couldn’t stop shaking and had to have someone telling me what to do almost the entire time – until we did a multipitch on the third day and then I kind of just got into it) and climb at the gyms on my college’s campus w/ two of my crew members. I love it. It’s been helping me become more balanced in how much I eat and exercise (starting a climb and realizing I didn’t eat enough and feel funky is a sure fire way to guarantee I a) eat more and b) carry snack bars :-). I used to just do lots of cardio which makes me not feel hungry anyway so it was really easy to not eat enough. Climbing is totally different. I do still run though – did my first half in early December. LOVED it!! It was really cool reading your workout/training summary. It’s rather similar to what I do (minus the amount of climbing and hiking).
I’m a vegan as well, so stumbling into your blog was AWESOME :-). It’s great to hear about people living really active lifestyles and finding veganism sustainable. Which is what I’m trying to do :-). My favorite quote about veganism is that “its not about being pure, its about being (com)passionate.” (Colleen Patrick-Goodeau in Vegan Table 🙂 (can’t remember if its compassionate or passionate…) Which, while I’m really strict about being vegan, I have a healthier mindset about it and more positiveintentions, which to me makes a world of difference. I’m going to try some of your recipes.
I also started aerial dancing! My class is on fabrics but eventually I want to try dance escalade (AscenDance style). Its a cool dance/yoga/climbing combo.
I realize this is a totally random message, but your stories really struck a chord w/ me. My running buddy and I constantly discuss how difficult it is to stay balanced and my crew members/climbing buddies/best friends and I are always talking about do we follow the suggested “major in what’s easy and go to grad school” and “research during the summer” and “oh, its okay if you take 19 credit hours, just let us know if you need to do that again” that we hear in college versus living our dreams and being adventuresome even if the two seem to conflict. Thanks for your honesty and for sharing your journeys and insights! It’s inspiring!
Mallory
Thanks for writing me Mallory! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and a little window into your life. I hope the aerial dance is going great….and best of luck for the new year.
Steph
