By Angelina Stevens
“If it makes you uncomfortable, just don’t do it.” That was the comment that propelled me over a 10-foot drop-off on my mountain bike powered by pure fear and determination. I am pretty sure my eyes were closed most of the way, but the reward of facing my fear far outweighs any quad-shaking descent. I have learned a lot in making friends with my mountain bike – a lot about myself and this amazing life.
Life Lessons from the Trails
Get outside and play every day.
We have made exercise far too serious of a matter. Race training is healthy and functional, but getting outside in activities where you feel like a kid again is worth hours of therapy. Most of our adult lives are filled with left-brained problem-solving and fulfilling obligations. Exercise should not be another have-to but a want-to. Screaming down a dirt road at top speed with a perma-grin on my face has become a staple in my workouts, and I am not paying a bit of attention to my mileage or heart rate.
Stay present, and always look down the trail.
It is nearly impossible to think about anything other than what is in front of you while navigating a root-infested rock trail that mostly resembles different breeds of poisonous snakes. Snakes aside, if you get caught staring at your pedals or what is underneath you, you will surely go down. By looking down the trail ahead you learn to anticipate your next moves by having a larger focus. It is with this presence of mind that we can focus on our immediate action steps while keeping our bigger pictures or intentions in focus. Being goal-oriented and present-minded is a way to stay motivated and calculate wins and losses.
Just trust.
If you think you can, you will. I have had days on the bike where I thought I could get through every log roll, boulder and switchback that I encountered, and I did. I have had bad crashes that derailed my confidence so badly that every stick I rolled over made me cringe. I have learned that over-thinking your lines is a recipe for failure, and that trust and finding your flow are your two best friends. Confidence, which is mainly trusting ourselves and others, allows us to be empowered and bring about that which we truly want for ourselves.
If you crash, get back up as quickly as possible.
We all make mistakes, some bigger than others. These errs in judgment serve as guidance and gifts in the future, so wallowing in self-pity or doubt does not serve us. The faster we can get back on the trail, the sooner the wisdom of our mishaps becomes apparent.
One of the things I like to do is to make a list of the top five things I fear the most, and then how my life would change if I did not have those limiting beliefs. Most of the time, the act of acknowledging our faults and why we want to change is enough to release the control they have over us and leave us lighter and more confident in our lives. And remember, if it makes you uncomfortable, then you better go for it, eyes open or closed. I promise it will be worth it.
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Dr. Angelina V. Stevens, D.C., owns holistic chiropractic and acupuncture centers in Durham and Chapel Hill. She is passionate about healing the body naturally without the use of drugs or surgery and by finding the true causes of pain and illness. As a triathlete, Dr. Angelina has completed in world-class events and has represented the U.S. as a triathlete on Team USA 2001. She currently competes as an elite cyclo-cross racer and can be reached at www.stevenswellness.com or email at drangelina@stevenswellness.com.
