I haven't written in awhile, but I have been meaning to write this post for the past few weeks now. Earlier this month I did a high ropes challenge course where my friend and I and other participants 1) walked across a cable 30' in the air reaching for 4 ropes dangling from above, the ropes were spaced far enough where we couldn't just grab one while holding on to the other, 2) walked across a log 35' in the air and met with our partner in the middle and switched places while trying to keep our balance (trying is the operative word), 3) climbed up a telephone pole 40' in the air and climbed on to a narrow platform and jumped for a ring dangling in the air, and 4) climbed up a cargo net to get to a 50' rock wall.
I learned I am perfectly fine with jumping from high places (Note: we obviously had harnesses and cables attached to us!), however I don't like feeling unbalanced when I'm in high places. I still completed everything but my favorite challenge was the ring jump. The pole and platform were shaking like crazy but I did manage to focus and get them to stop shaking while I was up there. It was amazing!! The view alone was spectacular!
But back to what I learned. So, in general I like feeling in control of the situation... I guess that's why I didn't like the activities where I felt unbalanced. It's not that I didn't trust the person holding my cable, but it was just a focus issue I think. I couldn't focus on the activity I was doing because I was so focused on my balance. Which brings me to my main problem: I need to find a lot more focus and balance in my life and learn to just let go sometimes, just find my flow in the activity I'm doing, like Csikszentmihalyi's (cheek-sent-meh-hy-ee) work on flow suggests.
*Another thing that I noticed while doing the challenge course, is the innate need to have to grab on to something when you're off balance. Everyone was grasping at the air or holding on to their harness just to satisfy some primordial need. Maybe it goes back to our evolutionary history, up in the trees or holding on to our mothers while she would navigate the trees.*
As amazing as the day was, one thing I didn't like about the company (and I guess they need to sell the activity to people so they need to harp on this) was that they were selling it as a life changing thing. That you do these activities and then you'll never see the world or life the same way again. Like the waving of a magic wand *poof* you're a different, better, more open person now! Of course I wasn't expecting any magic show after the challenge course, I wasn't expecting it to solve any of my problems or make me a better me but it seemed like many people had that expectation, including my friend. I'm really glad I did the challenge course, it was fun and a great experience in general and it brought my and friend and me closer together...too bad she moved out of the country a week later...
I learned I am perfectly fine with jumping from high places (Note: we obviously had harnesses and cables attached to us!), however I don't like feeling unbalanced when I'm in high places. I still completed everything but my favorite challenge was the ring jump. The pole and platform were shaking like crazy but I did manage to focus and get them to stop shaking while I was up there. It was amazing!! The view alone was spectacular!
But back to what I learned. So, in general I like feeling in control of the situation... I guess that's why I didn't like the activities where I felt unbalanced. It's not that I didn't trust the person holding my cable, but it was just a focus issue I think. I couldn't focus on the activity I was doing because I was so focused on my balance. Which brings me to my main problem: I need to find a lot more focus and balance in my life and learn to just let go sometimes, just find my flow in the activity I'm doing, like Csikszentmihalyi's (cheek-sent-meh-hy-ee) work on flow suggests.
*Another thing that I noticed while doing the challenge course, is the innate need to have to grab on to something when you're off balance. Everyone was grasping at the air or holding on to their harness just to satisfy some primordial need. Maybe it goes back to our evolutionary history, up in the trees or holding on to our mothers while she would navigate the trees.*
As amazing as the day was, one thing I didn't like about the company (and I guess they need to sell the activity to people so they need to harp on this) was that they were selling it as a life changing thing. That you do these activities and then you'll never see the world or life the same way again. Like the waving of a magic wand *poof* you're a different, better, more open person now! Of course I wasn't expecting any magic show after the challenge course, I wasn't expecting it to solve any of my problems or make me a better me but it seemed like many people had that expectation, including my friend. I'm really glad I did the challenge course, it was fun and a great experience in general and it brought my and friend and me closer together...too bad she moved out of the country a week later...
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