Creative Corner

From Scardy-Cat to a Brave Climbing Chick: My Journey during GirlVentures

By Elizabeth, age 14

Before I started this program, I was not brave, sort of out of shape, and afraid to face my fears. I went into the program thinking about how I wanted to learn more about rock climbing, become more confident, and step out o fmy confort zone. Ig ot all of those things and m roe out of the program, but it didn't happen overnight.

When I arrived at the ropes course, I was excited, slightly scared, and vey ready to climb. That is, until I took a look at the actual course. OH MY GOSH, it was so scary looking and so high off the ground! When it was my turn to climb, Itook a dep breath and began to climb. Before long I was scared out of my mind and ready to be let down. One problem, th ough, was that I didn't realize how scary it was to let go of the tree or whateer you are holding on to and let yourself swing out and be slowly lowered to the ground. By the time they finally got me to lower, like twenty minutes later, I was pretty ashamed. This, I decided, could not go on.

But it did. It took me about six weeks of climbing to get over my fear of heights, and even longer to get over my fear of lowering. But you know what, I did get over it, and it felt great. Lowering, once you take the plumge and let go of the wall, is an awesome experience. It kind of feels like you're flying.

There were lots of barriers to overcome, but eventually I started climbing highe r and higher until I made it all the way up the walll. I was so happy! It was one of the more memorable moments of my life. Lowering wasn't even that big a deal, although I did close my eyes for part of it. I am excited to get all the way up the wall again.

So, that's my story. I went from scared to lower from five feet off the ground to cooly and confidently lowering from the top of a higih wall. It hasn't been easy, but I did itt, and I couldn't have been better supported. Thank you so much, Girlz Climb On!