10 Helpful Life Lessons from Rock Climbing

A few years ago, we joined a rock climbing gym, and for Christmas, we enrolled Jonathan and Benjamin in rock climbing camp. It’s so much fun to watch them learn and master this new skill! My hubby and I also take the time to climb ourselves during the two hours of their class. As I watched them, along with learning this skill myself, it occurred to me that this sport offers a lot of good life lessons that can be applied to all areas of life, not just rock climbing. Here are 10 helpful life lessons I learned from rock climbing.

Rock Climbing Life Lessons

1. Never give up. Keep climbing higher and higher.
2. The more your practice, the better you’ll get.
3. You’ll fall. Just remember to get back up.
4. When you have the proper systems in place (in this case a harness and someone to belay you), someone will be there to catch you when you fall.
5. Sometimes you’ll get all tangled up and won’t know where to put your hands and feet (just like we get overwhelmed with our jobs, families, life in general). It’s ok. You can just pause, regroup, and keep going.
6. Sometimes you’ll feel like you’re barely hanging on. It’ll be OK.
7. Success is sometimes just out of reach. Don’t be afraid to reach for it!
8. Teamwork is essential. Climbing alone is dangerous. Parenting without the support, community, and love  of others who have been there can be exhausting!
9. After lots of epic fails and some successes, you’ll suddenly realize one day how high you’ve climbed and what seemed so daunting at first, now is doable, if not easy.
10. When you reach the top, look down just for a second to see how far you’ve climbed!

Take what you learn in one area and apply it to others

These life lessons I learned from rock climbing are applicable in all parts of our lives. Adulting isn’t always easy. ;o) We’ll encounter many challenges and learn lots of life lessons along the way.

There will be people who say we can’t do it. Sometimes our own inner critic will be the loudest voice of discouragement. Just as with rock climbing, you’ll eventually make it to the top and the bumps along the way will just be learning experiences.

One day, you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come and how far your kids have come. You’ll be stronger. You’ll feel accomplished. And you’ll be able to help others make that climb as well!

XXOO,

Beth