The Climb

I totally can't believe that I have named a blog after a Miley Cyrus song...but there is a reason for it.

And she didn't write it...just sang it...and frankly there is a better version out there that I will tell you about at the end of the blog.

So...

The climb...

How many times can I really write about my struggles with the weight and the weight loss and getting in shape and yada yada yada?

But, and I hope I am right about this, I think that may be part of the reason (some) of you read this blog. To know you aren't the only one struggling with things.

I have a very dear friend who is having some struggles now and the other day I had a chance to visit with her and tried to be a shoulder for her to cry on. As we discussed what was going on in her life I tried to find an analogy that might help her...and then it came to me...

Mountain

She's on a mountain. She had to get up there some way. She did not take a gondola or ski lift up...she climbed it...and I did the same thing with my life and my weight. We climbed.

It wasn't put on us...we did it bit by bit and step by step.

Have you ever climbed a mountain? Or a hill? or a bunch of stairs?

Sometimes you set on the path to go up without knowing it...you are just walking and suddenly you are on an incline and you just keep going because...you are going...

You don't stop...you just keep climbing.

Now if you are lucky, you are climbing a good mountain and you are enjoying yourself and the climb up there is good and the path is good and you have good footing and good shoes on and you are ready for it and you want it.

But sometimes you climb that mountain hoping to find something better...and you have to keep climbing because you don't see the "better" you are looking for...and maybe you have on flip flops and no water and you aren't prepared.

But you keep on climbing because you aren't sure how to stop or how to get down. So you keep climbing.

And at some point, you have to stop...either because you are at the top or because you are just flat out of breath and energy.

Now if you are me, and afraid of heights, once you stop climbing it forces you to pay attention to where you are and yikes! You are waaaaaay high up there and you don't know how the hell you got there...you were just going on a little walk. And damn! You have flip flops on and they are slick on the bottom.

And you realize...

You want off the mountain.

That is where my friend is.

That is where I was a year ago.

I looked at myself and realized I didn't want to be that girl any more.

I wanted off the mountain.

So here's the part that seems tricky but is really simple....how do you get down off the mountain?

Because you are on a damn mountain.

You want fast...get it over with...right away. But there are no gondonlas or chair lifts to ride you down so you have to do it on your own.

For me the gondolas and chair lifts would be pills or surgery.

So you look around the mountain and see a path...that leads to a cliff.

Well, that is no good.

Jumping off a cliff...not recommended.

You could really get hurt...not safe...bad idea.

So you look around some more and you realize that the only way down off that mountain is...

the way you came up

and that is...

ONE STEP AT A TIME

so you start back down the mountain...one step at time...carefully going...descending with care.

No most people would flip this little analogy of mine...say that losing weight or whatever your struggle is hard and it is like going up hill.

But I don't think so...because I found myself on that mountain without realizing I had climbed it. I was there...one big fat 300 pound girl who climbed the mountain without knowing it.

I guess for me looking at it that way makes sense because I always find going up easier than coming down because when I go up I am looking ahead and I'm working against gravity but it is helping me.

When I come down from a climb, or down stairs...I'm always slow and careful. Something about descent scares me.

I don't know why...

But for me, going down is harder.

So I guess that is why I look at it that way...I was up high on a mountain and found myself panicking as to how I was going to come down.

And the best way was the slow and deliberate path.

One foot in front of the other.
(one day at a time with the diet and exercise)

Careful not to slip...to fall...to tumble.
(trying not to cheat, or skip workout)

Making choices about where I put my foot so I don't fall
(making sure I have options for eating at home and out)

trying to stay on the path so I am safe
(if I stick to my plan I am doing right)

not trying to rush it...taking small steps
(I didn't give up everything at once...I took it one step at a time)

and now...

I see the bottom of the mountain.

It's in my sight...before it was a just a vision...but now it is real.

I see it there in front of me...I just need to keep doing what I did until I get there.

And for you, my darlings, it is the same...just know that you can do it...and you can get there.

And yes, we are all going to keep climbing and facing moutains...there is always going to be another in our path.

The trick is knowing how to GET DOWN...

And I have a moutain, well, a little hill in my path...Dimples is on vacation for a few days...not sure I can handle it but I'm gonna try...hahahaha...poor darling needs a break...and I am part of what he needs a break from for sure....

song lyrics at the bottom...they are pretty good words...and yes, this song is about climbing the mountain...but I think it still applies to what I am saying here...

Inspiration Song: "The Climb"...yes, Miley sings it. But if you want to hear it sung really really really well, go to iTunes and plug in "Claire Fowler the Climb" and get her version. Superior. Much better. Claire is the daughter of a childhood friend, but that isn't why I recommend her version...I recommend it because it beats the hell out of Miley's and you can appreciate what a good song it is.

Bye darlings...come down off the mountain...slowly and carefully so you don't hurt yourself!

THE CLIMB

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going
[ From : http://www.elyrics.net/read/m/miley-cyrus-lyrics/the-climb-lyrics.html ]

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody's gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It's all about, it's all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa


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