Following Your Dream
Hi Steph,
I’m writing because I’ve been pretty unsure about what to do with my climbing dreams lately.
I got into the sport about 7 months ago and I have been living (work at Mountain Equipment Co-op which in Canada is identical to REI) breathing (so much chalk) and sweating (steep learning curves in the gym) climbing almost every day since.
Climbing grabbed me in a way that is totally unlike anything that I’ve ever tried. After 3 months of bouldering and another 3 months of top roping in the gym I took my lead test and 5 days later competed in a “Climbathon” which was an enduro/suffer fest (in a local gym) on my part but super fun nonetheless.
Now all I want to do is go climb in Squamish or Yosemite for the rest of the summer. I’m not in debt, I would just need to give my landlord 2 months notice and there is nothing really tying me down at the moment.
I’m afraid that if I do take off I won’t be a super good member of a local crag what with not having my own rope (although easily procured). I have shoes, a harness, a belay device, and a chalk bag, and a lot of determination to get good at something I love and enjoy it as much as possible.
I want to do some big walls, I want to camp out all night and climb all day, I want to feel free (whether that’s touring on two wheels or climbing up steep walls). I’ve always dreamed that my life would be an adventure and that in some way I would help people while I do it. This is the time and place where I feel it can happen.
I’m super terrified.
I’m pretty psyched that I found climbing (or it found me, which is a longer story of random events and good resonance with the Universe).
How did you do it when you decided to leave a life of academia behind and start climbing for the love of it?
Thanks and it would be great to hear from you!
Joshua
Hi Joshua,
It sounds like nothing is in the way: why not go climbing all summer?
Steph
