Switchbacks and Challenges
The word rattling around in my brain this week is “Switchbacks”.
When used as a noun, “switchback” refers to a zig-zag trail or road that reduces the grade or steepness of a slope. Used in a sentence: The mountain guide lead the group of skiers towards the summit, by cutting switchbacks in the deep snow on the slope.
Used as an intransitive verb, we could say: When ski touring, the guide switchbacks upward, and we almost double back on ourselves as we follow her. Each zig leads higher, and each zag moves us closer to the high col and our objective for the day.
It’s good to zig and zag in order to get to the top. It helps to save energy, helps you anticipate the size of the challenge to come and keeps you trending in the right direction.
Depending on the conditions of the snow, the weather, the visibility, the steepness, and as always, your mental and physical fitness, switchbacks can become the sole goal and focus of the moment. Some days, when the slog uphill seems endless, we can count in our heads, “Okay just two more switchbacks and then time for a rest.” Mental tricks to keep you personally motivated combine hard effort with perks that help with recovery and renewed commitment.
I am pretty certain that reaching goals that challenge your ability and stamina require the services of a professional guide or mentor; at least one trustworthy and capable traveling companion and some customized mental tricks that will keep you going when the the headwinds are blowing.
Journal writing and valiantly seeking reasons to be grateful, are my go-to essentials when navigating my personal switchbacks, zigging and zagging through aspirations and challenge.
Why? Because, with every set back, I keep writing my way to what matters. This way, I gain perspective and…
- Improved mental, spiritual and physical fitness
- More frequent feelings of satisfaction, abundance and ‘good enough’
- Time, space and perspective related to fears, worries, and insecurities
- Improved sleep and lower levels of stress
- Fresh appreciation for the beauty that surrounds
- Improved self-awareness, self-acceptance and feelings of accomplishment
- Improved energy and focus
- More reasons to be trusting, generous and to breathe deeply
- Motivation to set more goals and beginning to plan the route forward
- Greater appreciation for all of life’s richness and recognition of limitations.
Paying attention to my reasons to be grateful is compounded with joy and optimism when all of the variables and forces at work – including your traveling companions, your mentors, guides, your equipment, your mental game and the ever serendipitous weather gods conspire to bring you home to safely.
Reaching goals and milestones requires time to celebrate and recover. Everything gets clearer when you take time to process the adventures by writing in your journal.
