It’s important to have challenges in your life. It’s even better if you get to choose your challenge and work towards achieving your goals with focus and motivation. There is something liberating and yet opposing about these three words. “Choose your challenge” Do you choose the easy way or the more challenging way? Ultimately, it’s your journey, right?
I’ve said this many times over my years of blogging, “as writers and storytellers we need to be continually challenging ourselves.” Writers should be exploring the world by whatever means at their disposal. What’s changing in our world? Who’s innovative today? Who’s thinking outside the box? I encourage writers to collaborate with other talented people around them. Don’t be afraid to write a story that is confronting or provokes debate or even pushes boundaries. You could inspire change. Now there’s something to think about!
Most importantly, get out of your writing world occasionally! Explore. Volunteer. Everyone who knows me personally knows I’m a huge supporter of volunteering in some form. I’ve volunteered all my life for many different organisations. I still do! Challenge yourself to do something for someone else without payment. The reward is far more worthy than money.
My challenge this month was to climbed the first of many mountains over the next few years. Granted this is not the first mountain I’ve climbed, but this is a “choose your challenge” situation as I build my fitness for some bigger challenges. I’m always amazed by what the human mind and body can achieve. YOU are always capable of achieving more than you believe you can.
Mt Warning Summit
Photo taken by me 2014
The elevation of Mt Warning is about 1,156m (3,793 ft) above sea level. The mountain is a volcanic plug with an age of over 23 million years old. This mountain has traditional significance and is a place of cultural importance so I always acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land before I climb any mountain. In this case the cultural and traditional significance is to the Bundjalung People and a site of particular importance for ceremonies and initiation rites.
I climbed Mt Warning with my daughter. Why my daughter? Well, she is currently a university student with the dream of one day finishing a medical degree. Climbing a mountain is a great way to build her skills in focus, determination, perseverance and resilience. She has the intelligence, but that isn’t what will ultimately get her through in the end. She will need those four other skills to succeed. Climbing this mountain was a great test of those four skills. Were there times when she wanted to quit? Absolutely! Did she quit? No way. In those moments when things got tough she found her focus and determination. Okay, with a little encouragement from me at times. But she did push on. Were there times when I left her behind? Yes. Why? Because the biggest test of success is being able to tell yourself you can do it and then following through on your own. She persevered through the pain of the climb. If she fell? She found her own resilience. This climb was about challenging ourselves to get to the summit. Did we make it?
Yes we did!
Selfie on the summit of Mt Warning
VICTORY
You measure your own victories or personal challenges. You measure your own successes. However, people who succeed have a few things in common, focus, determination, resilience and perseverance.
If you think and believe in a positive manner, positive results will follow. If you believe you can do it. If you are prepared to stay focused and work hard to achieve your goals. Yes, you will meet those challenges and sometimes you will exceed your own expectations.
I’ll leave you now with this quote. “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.” – Buddha
So until next time. Be brave and bold in your chosen field of creativity. And never be afraid to explore new techniques.
Hi Vacen,
Awesome climbing the mountain with your daughter!
M May