When I was in Middle School and High School I would go on the church's ski trip. I was always looking forward to being on the high school trip because they got to go to Pennsylvania and ski on real snow. The years before on the Middle School trip they would just take us to some ski place in Virginia that had more fake snow than on the set of The Grinch.
The first day we went skiing I stayed on the Bunny slope because all I know how to do is pizza (a ski position for stop) and scream. The second day the older classmen asked me to go on the Black Diamond with them. My inner Gena said, "the hell you won't, do you want to die?" But the young Gena that wanted to make a good impression said yes. Those three letters were about to give me the best workout of my life. I can't even get off the ski ramp unless they shut it off or slow it down. YES. I'm that girl that makes the lines extremely long because they have to help me off the ramp.
The first test was getting off the ramp and fool them into thinking I belonged in the Olympics. I got off the ramp (phew, thank God) now it's just me and the "cool kids" waiting to go down. I looked down and saw my immediate death. Everyone is ready, I say my last words in my head, and I go. I pizzaed my whole way down but held in my screaming cause cmon cool kids don't scream. I'm thinking in my head that I'm nailing this when BAM, I eat shit. I'm that person that people video and send into America's Funniest Home Videos, that person you feel bad for cause you can feel not only their pain but their shame. At this point I can only see all white and I declare myself dead until I started feeling the numbing cold of the snow seaping into my socks. I sat up and realized I only had one ski. I look up and sure enough that lil guy is halfway up the mountain of doom. I grunted, told God I got his sick joke then began to climb up the mountain. Now keep in mind I'm in my ski clothes. You cant move in ski clothes none of the less trudge through knee deep snow. I looked like the Michillan man walking up the mountain. I dodged skiers just like how I dodged thinking about what the older kids would be saying. I don't think I've ever been so cold and hot at the same time and don't even mention embarrassed. People as they skied down were cheering me on because they saw the struggle was real. It took me an hour to get back up the mountain of hell. I hated life but guess what, I CHALLENGED MYSELF AND WENT FOR IT.
How many of you are on top of the black diamond looking down? You look down and see everything that could go wrong. You measure your abilities then either one of two things happen 1) you pull a freshman Gena or 2) you opt out and go back on the Bunny slope where you know you are going to have success.
In life you have two options 1) take the black diamond and risk it or 2) go back to the Bunny slope because you know you'll exceed. If we always stay in the same place or do the same thing because we know we will see success we are cheating ourselves out of an opportunity to grow. Life is about going down the black diamond, taking risks, challenging yourself, aiming high. THE WORST IS THAT YOU FALL AND HAVE TO CLIMB BACK UP IN YOUR SKI CLOTHES. Like me though people will be on the sidelines cheering you on, I'll be cheering you on.
YOU CANT LIVE ON THE BUNNY SLOPE JUST BECAUSE YOURE SCARED OF FAILURE. DONT HOLD BACK DUE TO FEAR. Do things you know you won't succeed in because it's in those moments where we grow the most. YOU CANT LIVE IN A STATE OF BEING COMFORTABLE.
Want to know what slopes I go down now? The black diamond. I risked it and failed but I climbed back up and kept attempting till I got it. It's all about climbing back up and trying again. You might have to have them slow the ramp down for you but at least attempt it. You'll never know if you never try. LIFE IS NOT ABOUT THE BUNNY SLOPE.