Have you ever felt like you had to put on the mask of the "tough version of you" when climbing/adventuring?
One of my female hero I am looking up to is Emily Harrington. Her athletic achievements are really incredible but above all, this is her down to earth attitude and the way she openly talk about her emotions and her process that inspires me.
A few years ago I have listened to one of her podcast interview (with the Enormoucast i believe) where she recalled her process climbing the Golden gate on El Capitan. ( the drawing is from a screenshot of the North face video about it, check it out!)
In the podcast, she explained how she accepted that her process involved crying, being upset, some drama and that was ok. I found this incredibly empowering, to own that part of the process , the ups and the downs so honestly and openly.
I guess that in a way I witness a lot of “it was hard, so I trained harder and I just toughened up and push trough it” kind of attitude in the world and it feels refreshing to hear some more honest voices about what’s really going on where we get involved in difficult challenges, and owning the rollercoaster of emotions that goes with it.
How many time we are holding up these tears when we are feeling angry and frustrated, and keeping the chin up at all cost rather than letting it out?
Climbing and adventurous sports are situations where we intentionally put ourselves in situation of stress and I believe it is a beautiful thing.
We know that we are putting a challenge in front of us that will require us to push through fears, doubts and limitations that we are aiming to push past.
There will never be a single way to overcome these.
It might be deep focus, it might be a rumbling grunt, a high pitch scream, but also it can be tears, kicks in the wall. Whatever it might look like for you, I encourage you to own it.
Be strong and be weak, be brave and be emotional.
Be frustrated, angry, disappointed and sad.
It is ok to ebb and flow.
It is ok to let the guard down and open yourself to support and help from others.
It can feel like a bit of a macho world out there.
and it has pushed many women in a forced masculine energy.
In being brave at all cost, to only show the strong side.
Not listening to their body and their mind.
Trying to emulate their male peers.
There is a hearty balance to be found:
Bringing the bravery when needed ,
And be able to let the emotions when required too.
This is a super power
That is both available to women and men.
It’s time to challenge the shape of the archetypal figures in the adventure world
and go beyond the “ tough at all costs”!
Adventurers cry too!