When you think of gratitude, what comes to mind? Friends and family are some of the first thoughts that come to mind for me. I’m very grateful for this life and for climbing in my life. I’m grateful for climbing and the places it’s been able to take me. I’ve been able to be a part of some amazing experiences because of climbing. Also been a part of some bad experiences. I’ve been able to climb across the US various times and to experience different climbing areas. The bonds and relationships along the way is special. I’ve met some great men and woman through climbing and been able to form some really amazing bonds with people.

I think practicing gratitude is a therapeutic thing and helps me to not take climbing as serious as a younger me would. Your ego plays a role in climbing and I choose climbing to be a practice and to help me grow through life. Being able to set goals and help me to be intentional in what I do. This blog post is fairly different and is meant to get you to think in a different perspective. To be thankful and be grateful for the shit we get to do.

I choose climbing to be in my life every day and it’s helped me to work through various hardships. Being outdoors and in nature is something I think a lot of people take for granted. They take for granted the times you’d stay outside as a kid and go play manhunt or ride your bike around with your crew, or just be with your friends for hours. Life gets in the way and those moments you’ll cherish forever. At least I do. With climbing, it gives me that feeling again of when I was that kid cruising around on my longboard, zero cares, and being PRESENT. Being present is hard as fuck nowadays and climbing is how I do it. I can’t think about shit while I’m climbing and it’s an amazing feeling and experience to be fully in it. Fully aware of the way my foot is against the foothold or how my tool is in the ice, the cold air in my lungs, my hands sweaty as shit for no reason, the pump growing in my calves and forearms, the way time tends to just slow down and it’s just you and the climb. Sure, your belayer is there but my mind and soul has entered the flow state or at least that’s how it feels. Some day’s it’s not like that and that’s okay. This is my interpretation, and some may think otherwise and be like “this dude’s cooked”.

Take from this post what you want, and I challenge whoever has made it this far into the post to practice gratitude and see how your climbing and life improves. Let go of the expectation and bullshit you set on yourself and have fun. I’m by no means a professional climber doing crazy first ascents or shit like that, but I use climbing as a tool and to help me be a better me, a calmer me, a more in tune me. Put in the work both physically and mentally and let the climbing flow. As Bruce said, “Be Water my friend”.

Picture Credit: Adam Glanzman (Insta: glanzpiece)