Trying Something New and Solve a Problem

Have you ever seen someone do something that left you in complete awe? Or you look at something and say to yourself, “I could never do that!” That’s how I feel about a lot of things, including rock climbing. My partner started working out at a rock gym right before COVID shut it down, but once it reopened he started going back and absolutely loves it! He’s taken some classes and gotten his own harness and shoe. He also knows a bunch of the people who work out and work at the local gym.

When he gets involved in something new, he’ll watch a ton of YouTube videos about the topic and so I’ve learned a lot about climbing secondhand. But it wasn’t something I thought I could do. Not only am I one of the clumsiest people in the world, but I’m also terrified of heights. I have been since I was a child. I mean, even climbing on a six-foot ladder makes me nervous. We used to go hiking every summer and on a few of the trails, you could climb one of the old fire towers – absolutely not.

Trying Something New

But, my partner took me climbing after work one Saturday. Like other hobbies and sports, there’s a whole new language to learn when climbing. Like most rock gyms, this gym has a whole section for bouldering (an area where you don’t climb with a harness, but it’s not as far off the ground). And they have much higher walls to climb either by being belayed by someone else or lead climbing which means you’re clipping into the wall as you climb. And because he’s certified to belay people, he was able to belay me on my climbing.

Let’s just say we started with the easy climbs with big holds for your feet and hands. And I made it to the top! I tried a handful of climbs and I managed to make it up to the top every time. I say that in complete disbelief because I was terrified, but I did it. And that left me feeling so strong. And tired. Climbing is exhausting! I definitely need to strengthen my core and my arms because even though a lot of climbing is done with your legs, my arms were still sore the next day.

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My Experience

What I love about climbing is that you have to be very present when you climb. It’s been a long year and a half and I’m working a lot of extra hours right now. I love getting out of my head and focusing on something right in front of me. You’ve got to constantly be looking for handholds and footholds. You need to track which holds are for your climb and the path you’re taking. About 2/3 of the way up the wall, I tend to start getting nervous, but knowing that I’ve done it before helps me to do it again. We went again recently and I loved it just as much. In fact, once my schedule calms down a little I want to go to the bouldering class and learn how to belay too.

Let’s be honest, I’m still super clumsy on the wall! In fact, I somehow knocked my glasses off my face with both hands on the wall. I don’t even know how it happened! And my climbs never look pretty. The first time I climbed my goal was just to get to the top, to see if I could actually do it. The second time we went climbing, I tried to visualize my route before I even stepped up to the wall. It’s not easy to do, especially when you’re hanging on for dear life (or at least that’s how I feel!).

I think that knowing I’ve reached the top before allows me to push myself to try again. It allows me to conquer my fear each and every time I climb the wall. And honestly, having someone that I have complete faith in belay me, helps too. My partner is great at pushing me to try things and to prove to myself that I can do them. Having a person like that who’s got your back is is an awesome feeling.

How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (and Fall) of a Rock-Climbing Champion

In climbing, each boulder is called a problem. And the goal of any climber is to solve a problem. I think that if you could get kids into climbing early, they could learn a lot that could transfer to their life outside the gym. And there is an amazing book written by one of the best climbers in the world – Ashima Shiraishi.

This is the perfect example of what it takes to rock climb and conquer the world. Sometimes you make mistakes, sometimes you fail and you take all of that information and you try again. And if you fail again, you get up with everything you’ve learned and you try again. What a powerful message for kids, teens, and honestly, adults too.

This beautifully illustrated book is a must-read picture book for kids. Ashima is just 20 years old, a kid who grew up in New York City and a climber who we’ll hear from more and more as she conquers her problems one step at a time.

You can learn more about Ashima by checking her out on Instagram or on Climber News. And if you’re looking for more great picture books about nurturing a growth mindset for your family, you can check out my review of The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do.

If you’re interested in purchasing How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (and Fall) of a Rock-Climbing Champion by Ashima Shiraishi and Yao Xiao, please use my affiliate links for Bookshop.org or Amazon.com. When you purchase from either of these links, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.