11. Wake up an hour early (Monday 4/7)
The challenge was to set my alarm an hour early and see what happens. So this morning I set my alarm for 4:15am instead of 5:15am, and all I can say is.... this challenge was dumb. Okay, that's not a completely fair assessment, but basically I was hoping that by waking up an hour earlier today, my whole day would feel jumpstarted. Unfortunately, I just felt tired. As my friend and climbing partner aptly stated, "sometimes it seems like your list should be called '30 ways to make your life miserable before turning 30'..."
A bit harsh, BUT, in her defense, some of my challenges have been pretty difficult. This day and challenge was particularly difficult as I felt very tired all day. I also didn't find myself to be particularly productive in the morning, although I did get to work 15 minutes early, which was good since we are very busy right now.
Anyway, the moral of this challenge is that I should just let my body get the sleep it needs and that I am not a productive person in the morning. Anyway, I did it, so Challenge #11, check...
A bit harsh, BUT, in her defense, some of my challenges have been pretty difficult. This day and challenge was particularly difficult as I felt very tired all day. I also didn't find myself to be particularly productive in the morning, although I did get to work 15 minutes early, which was good since we are very busy right now.
Anyway, the moral of this challenge is that I should just let my body get the sleep it needs and that I am not a productive person in the morning. Anyway, I did it, so Challenge #11, check...
12. Handstand for 5 seconds (Tuesday 4/8)
Inversions are always the scariest part of yoga class for me. I think part of it is feeling out of control, but a lot of it is simply the hard wood floor that I know is waiting for me down below. So I typically opt out of inversions during class, and do modified poses instead. However, doing a handstand for 5 seconds has been on my bucket list for a while now, so it seemed appropriate that I include it in my birthday challenge list. I chose to do my handstand at the climbing gym, because of the soft and forgiving blue floor that you see in the video.
Next up for me in the world of inversions will be an unassisted (no wall) handstand for 5 seconds. However, for now, I am very proud of the progress I have made and can confidently say: Challenge #12, check!
Next up for me in the world of inversions will be an unassisted (no wall) handstand for 5 seconds. However, for now, I am very proud of the progress I have made and can confidently say: Challenge #12, check!
(No idea what happened to audio, but I'm sure I wasn't saying anything of importance anyway! :P)
13. Lead a 5.11a inside (Wednesday 4/9)
I should have changed the name of my challenge, because as it turns out I ended up sending a 5.11b on lead, which is one grade harder than I originally planned. For about 3 weeks I worked on a 5.11a that went up a steep overhung wall, and traversed the corner of the arch, and it utilized a number of heel hooks. I practiced and practice, but ultimately could not get past a certain point, which was only 3 moves from the anchors. I wish I had sent it, but I also felt myself getting frustrated with my progress, or lack-thereof, and so when this 11b was set I decided to refocus my goal.
So here I am sending my new project. This climb happens to be much more "my style" than the other one. You will see that the beginning is pulling a roof, but the end is balancy and delicate. It's a really great climb, and I actually sent it on toprope the first day, about five days ago. Since then I focused on smoothing out my moves and finding rest spots. Interestingly enough, I actually botched quite a few of my moves and clips in the video. I chalk (tee hee) that up to me being nervous and tired.
One thing that I feel compelled to mention is that my head game was considerably better on this, a climb that is at my physical limit, than has ever been in the past. I acknowledge that this is due to the mental training I received while reading Rock Warrior's Way, by Arno Ilgner, and the corresponding climbing clinic taught by the same man. One of the greatest things I've taken from both the book and clinic is that once I have thought through my options, and when I make my decision (to either keep moving upward, with the possible outcome of falling, OR, to back down from the rest of the climb), that the thinking process is over. I most act upon my decision and not be harping on the other possible choices I had. At this point I need to allow my body to do what it knows to do intuitively.
Thanks for the mental training and helping me get to this point, Arno! Challenge #13, SENT!
So here I am sending my new project. This climb happens to be much more "my style" than the other one. You will see that the beginning is pulling a roof, but the end is balancy and delicate. It's a really great climb, and I actually sent it on toprope the first day, about five days ago. Since then I focused on smoothing out my moves and finding rest spots. Interestingly enough, I actually botched quite a few of my moves and clips in the video. I chalk (tee hee) that up to me being nervous and tired.
One thing that I feel compelled to mention is that my head game was considerably better on this, a climb that is at my physical limit, than has ever been in the past. I acknowledge that this is due to the mental training I received while reading Rock Warrior's Way, by Arno Ilgner, and the corresponding climbing clinic taught by the same man. One of the greatest things I've taken from both the book and clinic is that once I have thought through my options, and when I make my decision (to either keep moving upward, with the possible outcome of falling, OR, to back down from the rest of the climb), that the thinking process is over. I most act upon my decision and not be harping on the other possible choices I had. At this point I need to allow my body to do what it knows to do intuitively.
Thanks for the mental training and helping me get to this point, Arno! Challenge #13, SENT!
14. Watch 5 new TED talks (Thursday 4/10)
Today I watched five TED talks that I had never seen before. All of the videos were absolutely amazing in their own ways. Some were funny, some were informative, some were surprising, and all were inspiring.
I started off strong with my first TED talk, "Hidden Miracles of the Natural Hidden World". Take the 7:30 minutes to watch it, you will not regret it. My words will not do it justice. Science x Art x Curiousity.
"Knowing that there's so much around us we can see forever changes our understanding of the world, and by looking at unseen worlds, we recognize that we exist in the living universe, and this new perspective creates wonder and inspires us to become explorers in our own backyards." - Louie Schwartzberg
***
You guys, this next video, "Are We Designed to be Sexual Omnivores?", is freaking hilarious. Definitely watch this one too. I mean, really, you need to watch them all.... but if you are looking for a laugh then you need to take the 15 minutes to watch this one. Also, in addition to learning some new things, around 11 minutes in, he takes a surprising turn toward a political/social statement. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but here are two very standout quotes:
"What I'm saying is that to argue that our ancestors were sexual omnivores is no more a criticism of monogamy than to argue that our ancestors were dietary omnivores as a criticism of vegetarianism. You can choose to be a vegetarian, but don't think that just because you've made that decision, bacon suddenly stops smelling good." - Christopher Ryan
"Edward Wilson says we need to understand that human sexuality is first a bonding device and only secondarily procreation. I think that's true. This matters because our evolved sexuality is in direct conflict with many aspects of the modern world. The contradictions between what we're told we should feel and what we actually do feel generates a huge amount of unnecessary suffering. My hope is that a more accurate, updated understanding of human sexuality will lead us to have greater tolerance for ourselves, for each other..." - Christopher Ryan
***
I probably NEEDED to watch this third video, How to Make Stress Your Friend, more than any others on my list. I tend to be highly anxious and feel stress very easily. Kelly discusses the misconception about stress and how it effects our bodies and long-term health. At the core of her talk, she argues that if we mentally learn to accept stress as good for us, then our bodies reacts differently to the stress and we actually do not experience negative long term effects. Fascinating. And it all starts with our thought process, as does many things in our lives.
"Can changing how you think about stress make you healthier? And here the science says yes. When you change your mind about stress, you can change your body's response to stress." - Kelly McGonigal
"Now, in a typical stress response, your heart rate goes up, and your blood vessels constrict... And this is one of the reasons that chronic stress is sometimes associated with cardiovascular disease. It's not really healthy to be in this state all the time. But in the study, when participants viewed their stress response as helpful, their blood vessels stayed relaxed... Their heart was still pounding, but this is a much healthier cardiovascular profile. It actually looks a lot like what happens in moments of joy and courage." - Kelly McGonigal
***
The fourth video, which was "What I learned from Going Blind in Space", was a really interesting because he discusses human nature and how we deal with fear. Very appropriate to the book I am reading right now, Rock Warrior's Way, which deals with mental training/fear in rock climbing (as mentioned earlier). Basically, knowledge is your greatest power to fight fear, because ultimately the unknown tends to scare us the most. But by practicing facing your fear, and slowly and respectfully pushing the limits of your comfort zone, you can definitely minimize the fear. Oh, and Chris sings a song at the end!
"But the key to that is by looking at the difference between perceived danger and actual danger, where is the real risk? What is the real thing that you should be afraid of? Not just a generic fear of bad things happening. You can fundamentally change your reaction to things so that it allows you to go places and see things and do things that otherwise would be completely denied to you..." - Chris Hadfield
***
The last and fifth video, "Love - You're Doing it Wrong", was a really sweet and witty look at the way we value each other in love. I will let Yann do the talking...
"There is a great different between an escalope and my wife, for instance. That is if I value the escalope, the escalope, on the other hand, it doesn't value me back." - Yann Dall'Aglio
"We are all useless. This uselessness is easily demonstrated, because in order to be valued I need another to desire me, which shows that I do not have any value of my own. I don't have any inherent value." - Yann Dall'Aglio
***
It will never cease to amaze me at how lucky we are that we can share ideas so quickly and effortlessly in today's world. It makes me a little sad to think about the thousands of brilliant ideas and theories and stories that may have died with person who held them most valuable. I believe that the easiest way to pay respect is to another human is to listen, genuinely and without ulterior motive, to what they have to say.
So here I am, doing just that, joining the millions of people who have viewed TED talks online. I am interested in expanding my world view, and am thankful that it's made so easy for me that all I need to do is click play. This was one of the most stimulating days of my 30 before 30 that I've had so far.
Challenge #14, check!
I started off strong with my first TED talk, "Hidden Miracles of the Natural Hidden World". Take the 7:30 minutes to watch it, you will not regret it. My words will not do it justice. Science x Art x Curiousity.
"Knowing that there's so much around us we can see forever changes our understanding of the world, and by looking at unseen worlds, we recognize that we exist in the living universe, and this new perspective creates wonder and inspires us to become explorers in our own backyards." - Louie Schwartzberg
***
You guys, this next video, "Are We Designed to be Sexual Omnivores?", is freaking hilarious. Definitely watch this one too. I mean, really, you need to watch them all.... but if you are looking for a laugh then you need to take the 15 minutes to watch this one. Also, in addition to learning some new things, around 11 minutes in, he takes a surprising turn toward a political/social statement. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but here are two very standout quotes:
"What I'm saying is that to argue that our ancestors were sexual omnivores is no more a criticism of monogamy than to argue that our ancestors were dietary omnivores as a criticism of vegetarianism. You can choose to be a vegetarian, but don't think that just because you've made that decision, bacon suddenly stops smelling good." - Christopher Ryan
"Edward Wilson says we need to understand that human sexuality is first a bonding device and only secondarily procreation. I think that's true. This matters because our evolved sexuality is in direct conflict with many aspects of the modern world. The contradictions between what we're told we should feel and what we actually do feel generates a huge amount of unnecessary suffering. My hope is that a more accurate, updated understanding of human sexuality will lead us to have greater tolerance for ourselves, for each other..." - Christopher Ryan
***
I probably NEEDED to watch this third video, How to Make Stress Your Friend, more than any others on my list. I tend to be highly anxious and feel stress very easily. Kelly discusses the misconception about stress and how it effects our bodies and long-term health. At the core of her talk, she argues that if we mentally learn to accept stress as good for us, then our bodies reacts differently to the stress and we actually do not experience negative long term effects. Fascinating. And it all starts with our thought process, as does many things in our lives.
"Can changing how you think about stress make you healthier? And here the science says yes. When you change your mind about stress, you can change your body's response to stress." - Kelly McGonigal
"Now, in a typical stress response, your heart rate goes up, and your blood vessels constrict... And this is one of the reasons that chronic stress is sometimes associated with cardiovascular disease. It's not really healthy to be in this state all the time. But in the study, when participants viewed their stress response as helpful, their blood vessels stayed relaxed... Their heart was still pounding, but this is a much healthier cardiovascular profile. It actually looks a lot like what happens in moments of joy and courage." - Kelly McGonigal
***
The fourth video, which was "What I learned from Going Blind in Space", was a really interesting because he discusses human nature and how we deal with fear. Very appropriate to the book I am reading right now, Rock Warrior's Way, which deals with mental training/fear in rock climbing (as mentioned earlier). Basically, knowledge is your greatest power to fight fear, because ultimately the unknown tends to scare us the most. But by practicing facing your fear, and slowly and respectfully pushing the limits of your comfort zone, you can definitely minimize the fear. Oh, and Chris sings a song at the end!
"But the key to that is by looking at the difference between perceived danger and actual danger, where is the real risk? What is the real thing that you should be afraid of? Not just a generic fear of bad things happening. You can fundamentally change your reaction to things so that it allows you to go places and see things and do things that otherwise would be completely denied to you..." - Chris Hadfield
***
The last and fifth video, "Love - You're Doing it Wrong", was a really sweet and witty look at the way we value each other in love. I will let Yann do the talking...
"There is a great different between an escalope and my wife, for instance. That is if I value the escalope, the escalope, on the other hand, it doesn't value me back." - Yann Dall'Aglio
"We are all useless. This uselessness is easily demonstrated, because in order to be valued I need another to desire me, which shows that I do not have any value of my own. I don't have any inherent value." - Yann Dall'Aglio
***
It will never cease to amaze me at how lucky we are that we can share ideas so quickly and effortlessly in today's world. It makes me a little sad to think about the thousands of brilliant ideas and theories and stories that may have died with person who held them most valuable. I believe that the easiest way to pay respect is to another human is to listen, genuinely and without ulterior motive, to what they have to say.
So here I am, doing just that, joining the millions of people who have viewed TED talks online. I am interested in expanding my world view, and am thankful that it's made so easy for me that all I need to do is click play. This was one of the most stimulating days of my 30 before 30 that I've had so far.
Challenge #14, check!
15. Get a hot dog from Pink's (Friday 4/11)
HALFWAY MARK. 15 days/challenges down, and 15 to go!
I just got back home from dinner at Pink's Hot Dogs, and after waiting in a long line, the verdict on the dog is: DEEEEEEE-LISH. I don't even really like hot dogs, but the chili cheese dog really was tasty. Challenge #15, check!
I just got back home from dinner at Pink's Hot Dogs, and after waiting in a long line, the verdict on the dog is: DEEEEEEE-LISH. I don't even really like hot dogs, but the chili cheese dog really was tasty. Challenge #15, check!
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