Comments on: Tinkering With Fear http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/tinkering-with-fear/ Steph Davis Blog Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:15:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: steph http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/tinkering-with-fear/#comment-258 steph Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:49:38 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=164#comment-258 Thanks for writing, all of you! Easiest things first: Sarah's question about food.....usually I eat Mixed Nuts Mojo bars on climbs, or when I'm out and about. I don't eat refined sugar, and like things that aren't too sweet, especially when exercising. For some reason, I never get sick of those, and they're easy to grab. Obviously, I've been thinking a lot about fear. The question of the unknown is very real. One way I work on fear is to become comfortable with things that seem frightening or overwhelming. The more times I do this, the more I see that fear is not a reasonable emotion in those situations, and it starts to fade. Right now, I'm seeing fear as a great limiter of my freedom. The more I can erase it, the more freedom I can have. Looking straight at things that are scary, and trying to take the fear away from them, seems to result in powerful liberation. When feelings of fear arise, if I just blindly allow them to exist, I am controlled by an emotion that is probably just reflexive and usually counterproductive. If I learn how to prevent or override the fear feelings, I can rise above limits. One big question I ask myself recently is, why should I be afraid? Am I afraid of losing something? Of dying? What precisely is so scary about those things? Do I really need to be afraid? Does being afraid help me in any way? Letting go of fear results in unimagined freedom. xx Steph Thanks for writing, all of you!

Easiest things first: Sarah’s question about food…..usually I eat Mixed Nuts Mojo bars on climbs, or when I’m out and about. I don’t eat refined sugar, and like things that aren’t too sweet, especially when exercising. For some reason, I never get sick of those, and they’re easy to grab.

Obviously, I’ve been thinking a lot about fear. The question of the unknown is very real. One way I work on fear is to become comfortable with things that seem frightening or overwhelming. The more times I do this, the more I see that fear is not a reasonable emotion in those situations, and it starts to fade.

Right now, I’m seeing fear as a great limiter of my freedom. The more I can erase it, the more freedom I can have. Looking straight at things that are scary, and trying to take the fear away from them, seems to result in powerful liberation. When feelings of fear arise, if I just blindly allow them to exist, I am controlled by an emotion that is probably just reflexive and usually counterproductive. If I learn how to prevent or override the fear feelings, I can rise above limits.

One big question I ask myself recently is, why should I be afraid? Am I afraid of losing something? Of dying? What precisely is so scary about those things? Do I really need to be afraid? Does being afraid help me in any way? Letting go of fear results in unimagined freedom.
xx Steph

]]> By: cyberhobo http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/tinkering-with-fear/#comment-235 cyberhobo Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:30:06 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=164#comment-235 I'd love to hear how your ruminations on fear develop. Fear seems always rooted in the Unknown for me, and soothed by the familiar. It seems best expressed in questions - will this move work, will that jam hold, is this placement worth anything, what would this place be like in a storm? Most often answering the questions is joyful for me, but how to react to the occasional painful, disquieting answer? I’d love to hear how your ruminations on fear develop. Fear seems always rooted in the Unknown for me, and soothed by the familiar. It seems best expressed in questions - will this move work, will that jam hold, is this placement worth anything, what would this place be like in a storm? Most often answering the questions is joyful for me, but how to react to the occasional painful, disquieting answer?

]]> By: Sarah Conroy http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/tinkering-with-fear/#comment-233 Sarah Conroy Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:15:01 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=164#comment-233 HI Steph, I hope this goes through...weee First off, I think that you are awesome and quite an inspiration! I was in Estes for the first time, with my non-climbing parents, for a wedding a few weeks ago and wow! you are so lucky you get to live there. I was wishing Gavin could have been there or a friend so we could have explored more! Remember a bit ago, I wrote about the climbing lull thing? Well I took some time off and noticed how depressed I really was once I began crack climbing again. I love it. But sometimes we need that break to really understand what and why we love. I also realized that nothing can keep you in shape for climbing like climbing, period! and I also, for once, have met some great gals who also love to crack climb out here in Oregon which will be helpful for my confidence since I have depended so much on Gavin in the past. While he is great and all, I want to be more independent and self reliant when it comes to climbing. Anyways..thanks for the inspiration! Keep writing.. hugs to you! Sarah ps. what is you favorite thing to eat on the the trail and back at camp? HI Steph,

I hope this goes through…weee
First off, I think that you are awesome and quite an inspiration! I was in Estes for the first time, with my non-climbing parents, for a wedding a few weeks ago and wow! you are so lucky you get to live there. I was wishing Gavin could have been there or a friend so we could have explored more! Remember a bit ago, I wrote about the climbing lull thing? Well I took some time off and noticed how depressed I really was once I began crack climbing again. I love it. But sometimes we need that break to really understand what and why we love. I also realized that nothing can keep you in shape for climbing like climbing, period! and I also, for once, have met some great gals who also love to crack climb out here in Oregon which will be helpful for my confidence since I have depended so much on Gavin in the past. While he is great and all, I want to be more independent and self reliant when it comes to climbing. Anyways..thanks for the inspiration! Keep writing..
hugs to you! Sarah

ps. what is you favorite thing to eat on the the trail and back at camp?

]]> By: Rob Haggart http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/tinkering-with-fear/#comment-232 Rob Haggart Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:58:43 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=164#comment-232 wow. great post. i can't even imagine what it feels like for you now. wow. great post. i can’t even imagine what it feels like for you now.

]]>