I made it!!!!
OK, I hiked. I whined. I hiked some more. I iced. I hiked. I took anti-inflammatories. I hiked uphill. I survived and I accomplished my goal. I hiked the Grand Canyon for 17 miles. I saw some incredibly amazing scenery. If you have never been to the Grand Canyon, please go. It is unbelievable.
I remember the first time I saw it. I stood on the rim and it felt like I was looking at some movie backdrop. It is just so overwhelming that my brain couldn’t take it all in. Even when we hiked it last week and we got down to the Colorado River at the bottom, it still felt overwhelming, but wondrous.
I hiked with five other people and every person had a different pace. I couldn’t keep up with the fast hikers. When I tried, I could do it for awhile and then I would start to get frustrated with them and with myself. I was much happier with the experience when I could take it at my own pace.
I am not making this up - it made me think about change. One of the primary principles I have learned is that everybody has their own pace for dealing with change. Just as in hiking last week, there is a fine line between challenging yourself and understanding your limitations and needs. There needs to be times when you push yourself - whether it is to try new things and take what you’re doing to the next level. But just as important is giving yourself time to learn from the experience and take the necessary time to heal and grow.
I was an incredibly challenge for me to hike the Grand Canyon. I wasn’t sure I could do it. But because I tried, I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment this week. And because I finally found my own pace, periodically stopped to look around and try to gain a perspective of the experience, I enjoyed it.