The New

I feel like going big again today, like "big picture". So if this psychobabble is too much for you, then you may need to talk to someone about it. I am a psychology major, so taking the simple to ridiculous levels of analysis is seemingly what I do with my life. Rather than watching soap operas or making others around me miserable trying to create drama, I look deeper. There is plenty of interesting stuff deep in the psyche. None of what I have to say today refers directly to climbing, but it has everything to do with how you accept challenges.

Stress is created by "The New". We experience new things all of the time: new jobs, new schools, places to live, marital status, changes in our mind. When I was 28 I somehow managed to do all of these big "first time" things within a 6-month time frame. I moved across the US, got a new job, got a new dog, got married, and tried to find a new group of friends to make it all seem natural. To add to these experiences, a year and a half later, I was proud new father. Let me tell you, I was a wreck for a while. All of the change created too much stress and strain. Making constant adjustments like this can be hell on a person. I don't have that job, that house, or that marriage anymore. Of course I still have my daughter. She is my favorite reminder of what true love is. She keeps me stable. She makes my life very worth living.

So you're probably thinking that I sit in a calm existence now, making every attempt I can to keep my life stable. You're probably thinking that I have rejected all things new so that I can avoid stress. Well, you're wrong. In fact, I've done the exact opposite because guess what? I survived all of that craziness that I went through. EMERGING IS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. In fact, I recommend it highly.

These days, I do my best not to set myself up for failure like I did somewhat unknowingly in my in my late 20s. All this being said I much state that I still take risks, big ones in fact. But they seem a little more calculated. "The New" is too fun to pass up. It is my life's adventure, my next day, my horizon in the distance. Without the excitement of a unique, new experience, we become stale. I don't want to ever become that guy sitting on the couch scared to go outside, scared to take on a new challenge, scared of failure. I want to throw myself into the new.

You should do the same. Go for it, dive in with all of your energies. I know you've had that thought to make a move, to do something slightly out of your comfort zone. Sitting around contemplating it isn't nearly as thrilling as doing it. If there is passion behind your decision, then it's bound to work out. Your motivations will be oozing from your pores. Sure, you may scare a few people with your energy, but that's their problem. You'll surely scare some because most of the time people are doing their best to stay asleep, to steer clear of things that might make them feel uneasy, to avoid something that might change their life. Don't fall into that trap yourself. There's too much to gain from taking that first step.

Just to make sure you understand how much I believe in what I am saying, I have , in fact, recently taken on a new venture, and the chemicals in my brain are screaming with such excitement that I have a hard time sleeping. I have a hard time getting through a day without distraction. I would swear that the world is a brighter place. "The New" has such a enticing draw for me and I am giving into it again with all that I have, moving towards a new horizon. Not everything in my life is changing, just one thing. So I think I'll easily survive this one. There isn't a doubt in my mind that I will emerge from this one a better person.
I can feel the growth already.