“To begin is the most important part of any quest and by far the most courageous.” ~Plato
What would have us wrestling with the words of Plato? Why is it considered courageous to begin something new? Why do we become so comfortable in the familiar day to day mundane activities of our lives?
What is it that keeps us stuck and complacent when knowing full well we are capable of far more than we are currently producing or accomplishing?
Why do we settle for less? Why do we allow ourselves to accept less than what we know we deserve? Why do we lull ourselves into believing our lives are good enough when we know a better life lies just beyond where we’ve allowed ourselves to take shelter? How does apathy creep into our lives?
Questions?
Is it possible the solution to all the challenges and problems we face resides in our ability to ask better questions? Why do we embrace the superficial rather than taking on the deeper more challenging questions of life?
Is it fear?
What if it were as simple as not being willing to let go of whatever excuse we have made for not being where we would rather be?
Our rudimentary brain was designed to do just one thing. It was designed to protect us, to keep us safe from threats. The problem though, is all the saber tooth tigers are gone and we have moved out of the caves where we once lived. Unfortunately, our brains are still playing catch up…
Our brain will go to great lengths to protect us from all kinds of horrible things like embarrassment for example. Imagine being so concerned about what others might think of us for pursuing our dreams and goals we instead simply pretend that life is good enough just as it is, and if we’re not careful, the tiger might reemerge…
If we aren’t willing to risk failure, then we are resigned to live a life of safety and security and I’m not here to suggest there’s anything wrong with that unless you have somehow given up on your dreams and desires out of an unrealistic fear of judgment, ridicule, or a self-imposed limiting belief.
As a former oncology and hospice nurse and still active cancer support group facilitator, I can tell you from my own firsthand experience working with patients who have been put in touch with their own mortality, that regret is real…
Just like Bronnie Ware in her book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, I have found that most people wish they had found the courage to do more, to take more risks. The number one regret patients reported according to Ware was as follows:
“I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
As reported in her book, this was the most common regret of all. “When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.”
Now in all fairness and for equal balance I must also acknowledge the second regret that came from almost every male patient she nursed:
“I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.”
I believe it’s also important to put this regret into context with what the men in particular expressed about working so hard. She said, “They deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of work existence.”
It is this idea of the “treadmill of work existence” or as my friend Michael refers to, “the hamster wheel of life” that I want to explore further in this article, but before we move on, I think it’s important to capture one more element from The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.
The fifth regret simply stated: “I wish that I had let myself be happier.”
Ware writes, “Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called comfort of familiarity overflowed into their emotions as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.”
This leads to the bigger question I hope to have each of you considering after reading this. What are your greatest regrets so far? What would you like to achieve or change before you die?
What QUEST remains awaiting the one key element required for its attainment?
Yes, it’s of YOU I speak…
Are you one of those who has only honored at most, half of your dreams? Do you even remember when it was you gave up? Do you remember why? Have you deluded yourself into believing it’s too late? Are you ready for the truth?
As long as you have breath in your body, a mind clear enough to remember, and the health to get up and out of the bed in the morning, it’s not too late!
Begin your quest now, tomorrow morning at the latest, I’ll give you the night to think it over. If you’ve taken in the words, I’ve shared here, then you might for the very first time be realizing that we have a limited number of days on this spinning rock.
And I’ll acknowledge that yes it might be risky to begin the pursuit of a dream late in life, but I’ve got a little secret to share with all of you. Here’s how risky life is. It’s so risky that NONE of us are getting out alive so why not go for it! What are you waiting for?
I know what you’re thinking… You don’t know where to start, right? Refer back to the opening quote that inspired this article and I think you’ll find all the inspiration you need to begin your quest.
If that doesn’t do it for you then perhaps this one will:
“I prefer the gradual path. My feeling is that mythic forms reveal themselves gradually in the course of your life if you know what they are and how to pay attention to their emergence. My own initiation into the mythic depths of the unconscious has been through the mind, through the books that surround me in this library. I have recognized in my quest all the stages of the hero’s journey. I had my calls to adventure, my guides, demons, and illuminations.” ~Joseph Campbell
Remember…
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” ~Joseph Campbell
Stay tuned for the next article where I will go into greater detail around what I’ve recently discovered as it relates to the power of choosing or creating a quest to inspire permanent and lasting change in your life. As a matter of fact, I have worked out a process for you to follow if you choose. I have created a pathway or a gateway to your next big adventure and the only missing element is “YOU!”
Are you up for the challenge? Will you accept the mission? Are you QUEST ready?
Stay tuned…
Advance Confidently is the title of my next book, you will have to wait to celebrate its release as I celebrate my 60th birthday. I have concluded the world doesn’t need another self-help book from me right now, so I am listening to my muse and will write a sci fi personal growth story of self-discovery instead. Hmmm? Almost sounds like a quest, right? I believe you will be INSPIRED with the story that chose me to write it! I never saw it coming but now that it’s here, I can’t wait to share it with all of YOU! I know it will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to you, my readers. Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, I released a special audio short story on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch/listen to the story here ( https://youtu.be/9zP4kk5OTlo ). You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
“If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.” ~Steven Wright
I consider myself to be not only an Inspirationalist, but also inquisitive. As a matter of fact, I would submit that I Am insatiably curious. My curiosity, just like a cat’s, often gets me into trouble, but since I’m writing this right now and since hopefully at least one other person will read it, we know that I have not met with the same fate as the cat…
In all seriousness though, what prompted the writing of this article was a mysterious text message that read as follows:
“Complications from Murphy’s Law may prevent me from attending today’s Zoom.” The message was also adorned with one of those upside-down smiley faces…
This message got me thinking about the potential effects of what might happen if we made an error in judgment and embraced a Murphy’s Law mentality. Is it possible that if we believe that things will most likely go wrong that they will? And if there is indeed any truth to this idea, what might the possible exact opposite thought be regarding this idea or concept?
This question is what led to my discovery of a little known and perhaps even secret law that I was unaware of…
Yhprum’s Law, according to Wikipedia, is the opposite of Murphy’s Law.
“Everything that can work, will work.” ~Yhprum
“Yhprum” is simply “Murphy” spelled in reverse.
For an interesting read on this topic, I recommend going to Wikipedia after you finish this article and look up Murphy’s Law. You will find that “Murphy” has managed to garner the attention of a political economy professor from Harvard University which is no small accomplishment.
If you now refer back to the title of this article you will find I intentionally used the phrase “turning the tables on” which I discovered is an old figure of speech referring to table games, or in French, the game of tables, or jeu de tables with an inference to the game of backgammon. It should be noted however, the term backgammon did not come into common use until the mid-1600s. A backgammon board was divided into four sections, each called a table and so there were four tables on a backgammon board. To turn the board around, then, was not to turn just one table, but all four tables. This idiom has also been used to describe turning the board around as it relates to the game of chess.
The most common use of this phrase would be when someone turns the tables on someone who in the moment appears to be in charge or in control of the conversation, but by introducing new information or a new idea to the conversation, suddenly finds themselves in the “driver’s seat” of the new conversation. Therefore, turning the tables, is about gaining a position of power. Hence, the cheeky reference to the “driver’s seat.”
Do you see where this is going yet? Good, I will stop now and stay on task. Let’s see if I can exercise some discipline and self-control to avoid the squirrel of temptation, “driver’s seat” and stay focused on Murphy!
Where was I? Oh yes, the text message. Does the acknowledgement of Murphy’s Law potentially invite him into our lives for a visit? If our mind is indeed the CPU (Central Processing Unit) of our lives, then perhaps we might consider installing an anti-virus program to prevent the possibility of any additional bad actors finding their way into our home (our mind) through the front door.
What do you suppose might happen if we left the front door of our home open while we went on a two-week vacation to some exotic destination? Well, I guess it all depends on where you live but I think you get the idea. And instead of going immediately to the dark side, let’s just entertain the idea that you live near the forest where there is a healthy population of bears who we happen to know enjoy discovering interesting and unique smells like the food in your pantry for example… You get the idea.
If we wouldn’t leave the front door of our home open for any of nature’s intruders to find their way in, why on earth would we leave the gate of our mind open to the possibility of whatever and whoever Murphy might be bringing along to have a party in our head while we’re not home?
Sometimes we must be willing to look at something from a different perspective to gain new insight about what a simple lapse in judgment could mean to the way we open ourselves up to unnecessary potentially devastating consequences.
Here’s an interesting follow-up to the first part of that text message which came the next day:
“Murphy’s Law prevailed! What time Tuesday?”
Fortunately, as far as I know, there were no devastating consequences, this time. But what about next time? Or maybe it will be the time after that? Is it possible the reason some people experience challenge after challenge and difficulty after difficulty is because unbeknownst to them, they’ve invited Murphy to come and hang out and he brought some friends with him?
What if Murphy brought along a couple of his best friends like self-doubt and insecurity? And I’m sure you’ve heard of the infamous “Doubting Thomas” and his girlfriend “Negative Nellie” and her friend “Hesitant Helen” right?
Now I realize you know I am making fun, but perhaps when it comes to something as important as our well-being and the well-being of our families, we can at a minimum make sure to at least close the front door, even if we don’t lock it.
Here’s a unique idea. What if instead of locking and bolting the door we instead sent out invitations to a completely different new and interesting group of friends? How about inviting over “Enthusiastic Edward” and his girlfriend “Confident Claire” and their friends “Optimistic Oliver” and the ever exciting “Inspirational Isabella” and let’s not forget Yhprum’s cousins “Happy Hal” and “Grateful George” and their best friend “Determined Delilah.” Imagine the party we could have with a guest list like that!
It has been said that metaphors are magical, and I think today we were able to turn the tables on Murphy… What do you think?
Advance Confidently is the title of my next book. You will have to wait to celebrate its release as I celebrate my 60th birthday. I have concluded the world doesn’t need another self-help book from me right now, so I am listening to my muse and writing a sci fi personal growth story of self-discovery instead. I believe you will be INSPIRED with the story that chose me to write it! I never saw it coming but now that it’s here, I can’t wait to share it with all of YOU! I know it will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to you, my readers. Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, I released a special audio short story on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch/listen to the story here ( https://youtu.be/9zP4kk5OTlo ). You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
“Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character.” -Stephen R. Covey
If our character is basically a composite of our habits, we can effectively completely change our lives by changing our habits. Our current habits only define who we are at this present moment in time. They are only a snapshot of our current knowledge and understanding in this moment. At any given time, we can make a conscious choice to embrace new habits.
As important as they are, they don’t define who we will eventually be, because we have the ability to change our habits if we commit to making the necessary changes. The paradigm shifts we experience will be in direct proportion to our efforts in the application of each habit.
What do you want to be? A teacher? A writer? A computer technician? A pilot? A social worker? A coach? A business owner? An entrepreneur? What kind of life do you want to live? Everything is possible, one day at a time… If you’re not living the life you’ve always imagined you could, the one you’ve dreamed of living, choose to do so, and take the first step toward it.
Delete one habit that no longer serves you, that’s not moving you toward your goal, and replace it with one habit that does. Then do that again… and again. Change your habits one by one, one day at a time, and you will also change your character and eventually, you will change your life as you become the person you choose to be.
Excellence is a choice. Commitment is a choice. The willingness to change is a choice. Learning is a choice. Reading is a choice. There is no shortage of material on the subject of habits. All that’s required to change a habit is an open mind and the commitment to do the work. Change is only hard if we frame it as hard. Our belief about a thing is what will determine the level of difficulty or ease. If we believe it to be hard, it will most assuredly be hard…
In his best seller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey lists being proactive as the first habit. Be Proactive! Take complete “response-ability” for your own life. When we take full responsibility for our life, we empower ourselves to make any and all changes necessary to achieve the results we desire. By changing the habits at the core of the results we experience, we also change our character and our life. We each have the ability to elevate our life through conscious endeavor.
“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.” -Henry David Thoreau
Advance Confidently is still the title of my next book, but you will have to wait to celebrate its release as I celebrate my 60th birthday. I have concluded the world doesn’t need another self-help book from me right now, so I am listening to my muse and will write a sci fi personal growth story of self-discovery instead. I believe you will be INSPIRED with the story that chose me to write it! I never saw it coming but now that it’s here, I can’t wait to share it with all of YOU! I know it will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to each of you, my readers.
Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, I released a special audio short story on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch the story here ( https://youtu.be/9zP4kk5OTlo ). You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
“Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days that ever come can depend on what you do today.” ~Ernest Hemingway
The greatest gift you ever give yourself will probably come in the form of time…
Unstructured time is the gift many of us have forgotten to schedule into our busy lives. Sometimes, we must be reminded that almost everything works better if it is occasionally unplugged… Yes, that includes YOU!
I recently had an article delivered into my inbox by the prolific author Jeff Goins! You know you’re really on to something when you get an article in your inbox on a topic that you’re already writing about. His article was delivered into my inbox a week after my trip to Yosemite where I intentionally unplugged from my day-to-day activities so I could reconnect with both nature and my inner-being.
If we ever hope to accomplish what we’re truly capable of, it won’t be by working harder, hustling, grinding, or trying to find the 25th hour in the day. Trust me, it doesn’t exist, I’ve looked for it, I’ve searched for it, and I couldn’t find it anywhere.
The same way I searched for “someday” that fictitious place we create to park our dreams, I also was unable to discover the 25th hour because it doesn’t exist either. We each have 24 hours in any given day to accomplish whatever it is we choose and if we can’t manage our time within that 24-hours, we do make a mess of things! Resource on Time in the article link below:
We must, and I will emphasize the must, we MUST make time for ourselves. We need space between the space. We need time between the time. The only way to make sure you get this most precious time is to schedule unstructured time into your day. Avoid the temptation to fill up every single minute. It can be intoxicating to look at a schedule that is full, from top to bottom, front to back, side to side, and say to yourself look at all that I’m doing, look at all that I have accomplished, when in reality, what you’ve really done, is cheated yourself out of the most important gift you could ever give, to the most important creature on the planet, “you.”
No one will be impressed when you show them your schedule and there’s no time in it for you. And, the truth is, there’s no way you can be as effective as you possibly can without making sure that you’ve taken the time to fill up your cup first. If you’re attempting to fill the cups of others without making sure to fill your own first, there will be nothing to pour into the lives of others. You cannot fill the cups of others from a depleted cup.
If you wish to make a real difference in the world then you absolutely, positively, must make time for yourself. This is non-negotiable. Well, hopefully, after reading this article, it will NOW be non-negotiable for you.
The purpose of this article is to get you to slow down long enough to understand that the only way for you to be the absolute best version of yourself is to make sure that you’re taking time for yourself. Unstructured time is the time we create on our calendar to reconnect with our breath. There is a space between our breath. We breathe in, and we breathe out. Between the breathing in and breathing out there is a space, there is a natural pause. I’m asking you to extend that pause. I’m asking you to intentionally extend that pause. Then, after taking the pause, I invite you to take a deep breath… Breathe in, breathe out, now one more thing, embrace the silence of the space between the space.
Our minds need room just like we need room. One of the best places to find the extra room we need is in the great outdoors. If the outdoors is not your jam, then maybe it’s the spa. I don’t know what does it for you, but whatever it is, you need to schedule time for it. Schedule unstructured time to embrace the space between the space. Schedule time to reconnect with your breath, to reconnect with your inner-coach, to silence all the chatter, including your inner-critic.
This is one of the greatest gifts you will ever give to your mind, and your soul will thank you later… It is the greatest gift you will ever give to your soul. It’s the greatest gift you could ever possibly give to your TEAM, to your family, and to your friends.
The “you” that returns to whatever it is you do on a regular basis to earn what you earn to provide for those you provide for, will be a “YOU” that is 10 times better than “the you” that left, than “the you” that was in the trenches, on the hamster wheel, grinding out the daily grind. Take a moment right now to reconnect with your breath.
Breathe!
And if you’re wondering about how you’re going to get everything done, let me remind you of something shared with me by my coach and mentor. He reminds me on a regular basis that slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Let me say that one more time so it sinks in, so you don’t just read past the words.
Slow is smooth and smooth is fast!
When I slowed down to experience everything available to me in Yosemite National Park, I gained clarity about the direction of not only my next book but the future of my life. I saw in the space between the space a life that looks exactly as I choose, a life by design, a life designed by me, for me and those I intend to serve.
You will find my most recent article on Yosemite here: Bobby Kountz
I made a commitment to a life of service over 31 years ago and I’ve done my best to honor that commitment the best way I know how. However, until we’re ready to look in the mirror and truly see our own inner-awesomeness, or as Michael describes, our inner-awesome sauce, we will only ever be providing a sliver of what’s possible in the way that we can show up for others, because we must first learn to show up for ourselves.
I am done playing small. I am finished hiding in plain sight. I am ready, willing, and able to embrace my inner-awesome sauce and share it with the world in every avenue I can possibly think of so that I can create a ripple across the planet and make the world just a little bit better so that my grandkids can experience a world worth experiencing.
I can’t pretend the challenges that face our planet are so great that there’s nothing I can do. I may not be able to solve all the challenges that currently exist, but I can show up and do my part every single day. And one of the best ways I can show up is to make time for myself. If my cup is overflowing, then I will have more than enough to spread across the planet to create the ripple that I’m capable of creating to make the difference that only I can make by fearlessly sharing the story that is only mine to share and I invite each of you to do the same.
Find a way to share your story in a way that only you can share it, because no one else can share the story that is “you.” If you want to make a real difference in the world then embrace your inner awesomeness, stop hiding in plain sight, find your voice, and share your message!
Here is my promise; when you find your own authentic voice, when you discover who you really are and what you’re capable of, you will have more confidence than you could have ever possibly imagined. It will show up for you in everything you do. Your family will notice. Your friends will notice. Your team will notice. Your employer will notice. Everyone will notice and the most important person that will notice will be you when you go to the mirror when you see yourself for the very first time. I mean, to really see yourself, the REAL you, the you that you always knew was somewhere inside…
Most of us are barely scratching the surface of what we’re capable of.
If you want to take your life to the next level, then give yourself permission to get off the hamster wheel. Go out and connect with your breath, connect with nature, connect with the space between the space and when you do, you will find the “you” that’s been hiding in plain sight all along. When you return to the mirror and you take a long look, what you will see will be a vastly different you than you’ve ever seen. Because you will be seeing you, the real you, for perhaps the very first time.
PPAUSE • BREATHE • REFLECT…
Image from Author’s Collection
My dear friend, mentor, and coach, Michael O’Brien has created a movement to get people to reconnect with their breath. The movement is very simply titled as you see in the line above, pause, breathe, reflect. He has a meditation room on clubhouse where he offers 5-minute meditations throughout the day, typically three to four times a day, and I’m inviting you to step off your hamster wheel and join us in the PAUSE, BREATHE, REFLECT room where you can get your breath on!
Get your BREATH on! Get your PAUSE on! Come reflect with us as we step off the hamster wheel of life to PAUSE, BREATHE, REFLECT… Join our 5-minute guided meditations to re-connect with your breath. You’ve got nothing to lose and a brand-new appreciation for life to gain! See YOU soon!
Finally, here’s a link to an amazing challenge: It’s the 20 Ripple Challenge to commemorate my friend’s last bad day ever! There are only 2 days left in the official challenge but any ripple you create is sure to make a difference!
If my words somehow inspired you to pursue your gift, then I succeeded…
Advance Confidently is still the title of my next book, but you will have to wait to celebrate its release as I celebrate my 60th birthday. I have concluded the world doesn’t need another self-help book from me right now, so I am listening to my muse and will write a sci fi — personal growth, story of self-discovery instead. I believe you will be INSPIRED with the story that chose me to write it! I never saw it coming, but now that it’s here, I can’t wait to share it with all of YOU! I know it will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to you, my readers.
Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, I released a special audio short story on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch the story here:
You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
“Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill there is a solution to every problem.” ~Anurag Prakash Ray
In life, over time, I have come to realize all events are neutral until we label them. Everything we experience or will ever experience, will be experienced, one day at a time. Life is perceived through the filter of what we bring to it. No two people see things exactly the same even when in full agreement on whatever it is they are seeing.
We are not machines and therefore, our emotions, our attitude, our confidence, our physical capabilities, our fitness, both physical and mental will all play their part in the way we perceive things. Our inherent nature, risk averse or risk prone, our ego, our pride, our fear, our humility, our concern for the well-being of others, selflessness or selfish, all will play their part in the decision-making process about what is and isn’t possible…
Mindset, belief, attitude, confidence, clarity, judgment, resilience, tenacity, grit, etc., these are the words used to describe the behaviors and actions of those who appear sure of themselves and their abilities.
Fear is not typically a word associated with the above list. The truth however is that most confident people feel the same fear as the individual lacking confidence. The difference is not in the fear they experience, but in their individual response to it. Confident people find a way to feel the fear and do it anyway. When they do it, whatever “it” is, they do it afraid!
For some, fear is paralyzing. For others it is exhilarating. For most of us, it is the common thread of the lived experience we each do our best to navigate. There is no all-inclusive instruction manual on how to manage fear. There are many theories, articles, and even books on how to manage fear, but the truth is, what works for one may not work for another.
If, however you are interested in one of the best manuals ever written, I highly recommend The End of Fear Itself by Steve Bivans which is available as a kindle read on Amazon for less than the cost of a gourmet cup of coffee. If you prefer a paperback you will have to separate yourself from $15, which is a bargain for a manual on unlearning everything you thought you knew about FEAR!
Some of us are defeated before we ever make the attempt. Some just know their natural limits and I have the utmost respect for them for they are bold enough to face the ridicule of those that might heckle them or call them a quitter, or even worse, make fun of them behind their back in private conversation.
It often takes more courage to say no than it does to say yes. I applaud those who consciously say no after weighing their options and measuring their choices against their abilities. Deep consideration for the safety of others, particularly strangers, is a rare quality indeed.
The climb from the bottom of the Half Dome trail departing out of Little Yosemite Valley to the top is approximately 2700 feet and about 3.5 miles of switchbacks, granite stairs, some of which are carved right into the rock, and standard steep ascent paths. It is a serious hike for serious hikers and a true test of patience and resilience.
Many casual hikers make the attempt as well. Some even succeed.
The casual hikers will be those starting as we did from Little Yosemite Valley because from the valley floor, Half Dome rises nearly 5,000 feet to a grand height of 8,839 feet!
Photo from Author’s Collection
For me, this hike was a test of my will. To begin with, it’s at altitude. It’s steep and requires a steadfast commitment to keep moving even when tired and short of breath. Determination and persistence are the words of the day…
When you finally make it to the top of the Half Dome approach, or what many refer to as the sub-dome, what you find waiting for your is a pair of cables suspended from poles that fit tightly into the drilled-out holes that await their replacement every year when the season reopens. (See picture below).
Photo from Author’s Collection
The final elevation gain on the cables is 400 feet of what sometimes feels like straight up, which translates to about a 50–60-degree slope! The poles are set about 8–10 feet apart with a 2×4 strapped to them to provide a little extra footing. The mantra was to go from board to board as you wait for the person in front of you to advance. Where it gets tricky is when you run into someone coming down at the same time as you are going up or vice versa. There is only so much room between the cables and cooperation from both ascenders and descenders is mandatory to navigate the journey safely!
As you can imagine, there is always one chucklehead in every crowd and for all of us it was Mr. Pink Shirt! He was overly impressed with his own ability to descend facing down the mountain rather than backwards and showed little concern for anyone who got in his way or was too slow to get out of his egoic charge down the cables… Fortunately, no one was hurt!
Where was I? oh yeah, the ascent…
When you finally reach the top, you are either exhilarated or terrified and I saw both this past Monday. The face of one of the ascenders I watched come off the final steps looked like one of those faces you see in a movie like Friday the 13th!
Fortunately, my friend Joe was at the top taking pictures and the one of me looks like someone who both felt and looked UNSTOPPABLE! (See Picture).
Photo from Author’s Collection
The view from the top is almost unimaginable… The meadow floor of Yosemite valley is thousands of feet below and everyone waits for their turn to get a picture taken on the promontory point! (Mine is Below).
Photo from Author’s Collection
After a leisurely break of about 20–30 minutes for hydration and a quick snack, the process of mustering the courage for the return trip down the cables begins.
Photo from Author’s Collection
It’s easy at first, facing forward, no problem, I got this and then the slope begins to change and the decision to begin the slow and methodical backward descent begins. As a descender, you must constantly be looking behind you which also means looking down to make sure you don’t run into anyone.
FEAR can be friend or foe and I found it best to embrace it as a friend. I said to fear; I AM Feeling Excited And Ready. I know I CAN Face Everything And Rise!
I did!
In the next article, I will give a little history of the area and discuss the Wawona Hotel and Restaurant where breakfast was thoroughly enjoyed the next day…
Did I mention the adventure was epic? Now I have! Until next time…
My name is Bobby. I am The Inspirationalist!
I inspire people to pursue their gifts!
If my words somehow inspired you to pursue your gift, then I succeeded…
Advance Confidently may still be the title of my next book, but it will not be coming out on the 4th of July as I originally anticipated. I have concluded the world doesn’t need another self-help book, at least not from me, so I am listening to my muse and will write a fable of self-discovery instead. I don’t know for sure when it will be ready, but what I do know is it will be worth the wait because that is my commitment to you, my readers. Thanks in advance for your patience!
In the meantime, I will be releasing a special audio short story on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch for the story on the 4th. You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
