MOTIVATION PRESSURES
COMMUNITY CLIMBING
I'm Siebe Vanhee, despite being a passionate traveler, I love to keep my home base in Belgium, where I am originally from; it is here that I find rest in the more structured life. I also pick up my training routine at home, like when I started climbing at 10-years old. I am Pure Climbing, and this is my community story.
Throught the COVID19 situation I have realized that is important not to to underestimate the effects of isolation or the feeling of being lost with the unknown. I think it is valuable to discuss this.
I have experienced less energy every day and feel some pressure on myself right now. The less energy, I recognize as a normal reaction to a lack of excitement and future perspectives, I've had this before in moments of doubt. Returning from an exciting trip or finishing studies, you exit a state of focus and devotion. Something came to an end, after which you're overwhelmed by an abundance of possibilities—at the same time, there is a struggle in not knowing where to lay your new focus. Like with COVID-19, your routine ends, and you have to shift focus again. These are moments when I had questioned my purpose or the direction in life I was taking.
The pressure I realize comes from the idea that I have to use this time to reinvent myself right now! And while I do enjoy this time to reconsider my goals, I recognize that it has to come naturally, just like happiness. You cannot force this, and it's important to know we all have ups and downs. It's a matter of accepting these moments and living them day-by-day. The more I try to force it, the longer I will have to wait for some extraordinary-illuminated-moment. I always try to make the best out of every situation. But it can be frustrating at times and is often better to go with the flow, but I'm stubborn. I catch myself wanting to control my future. I want to look back on what I've done and conclude that I acted proactively. Forcing myself on every occasion to be creative and proactive can kill the magic of what life brings us. Letting go of control on your long-term future is so difficult, but I've found little ways to do this.
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Making a routine in my daily life has helped me right now. I have used training for this, a focus on the short-term goals and the things sitting right in front of me. Don't understand me wrong; I'm not happy every day because I train, though. There are days I feel sad or like shit, but having a task right in front of me to focus on is helpful. Then I only have to 'do' and undertake action without questioning too much about where it leads. It's easy to get stuck in our heads when we can't climb; when we have lots of time and possibilities. But we have to remember that we don't have to reinvent ourselves with every dip in cadence or setback. Just take one task at a time, even the smallest ones. Inspiration and energy will return naturally!
I want to share this because I think lots of us have these struggles, but you're not alone; we are together as a climbing community.