By thedihedral Posted on

2022 Successes

New Years resolutions are great, but I want us to reflect on new habits that we’ve formed this past year that we want to carry with us. We don’t give ourselves enough credit for the progress we’ve made for ourselves, and so today I want all of you to be proud of what you’ve accomplished and recognize that you have some great habits that you can keep. Here’s what Carrot and I want to keep up with this coming year:

Carrot

2020, 2021, and 2022 all kind of blend together.  Over the years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic I have picked up some unique habits both good and bad.  I used to drink so much water all the time, and now, not so much.  I need to change that.  I used to avoid snacking and sugary treats unless I had an accomplice, now I snack too much.  I need to change that too.  I used to climb 5-6 times a week, and now it’s more like 2-3 times a week.  I need to change that as well.  The snacking and water shouldn’t be too hard to get right, but my teaching schedule and partner options have changed over the years making it harder to climb with as much regularity.  But I am going to work on creative ways to make up for those changes.

There were some positives that have come to fruition over the last year or so too, and I want to do my best to maintain those gains.

  1. With my climbing time minimized I have been more intentional in my climbing.  I lost a lot of strength, but have gained a lot of endurance.  Pulling off 100 consecutive routes in less than two hours was a high point in my climbing journey, and I am going to do my best to keep that up, come hell or high water.  
  2. In the beginning of 2022 I started working on rebuilding my strength by working on the spray wall, my intention is to be more consistent with those efforts.  I was never in a spot where I could notice gains, but this year I’ll see progress.
  3. We had nearly 30 people join our college climbing team.  In my wildest dreams I wouldn’t have expected that type of growth in our first full-time semester after the lock-down.  The connections and engagement of the students was a sight to behold.  I hope to capitalize on our momentum and ride this wave directly to the collegiate nationals.

High-Clip

I agree with Carrot…the past few years have all felt like 2020. However, this year, I’ve done a better job of listening to my body and following my instincts. Surprising as it may be, this kept me as healthy as ever and saved my life a few times.

  1. Everywhere you look, people are offering diet advice for climbers to get the most out of their training. We’ve all had those days where even getting on the wall immediately drains your energy. It feels horrible. However, when I eat what my body is telling me to eat, I find that my workouts feel great. It may not always be a meal out of a dietician’s cookbook, but everything evens out in the end, and, personally, it works out for the best (pun intended).
  2. Especially as women, many of us were taught by society to always be polite and always please others despite our own needs. This may come as a shock, but I love rock climbing and I love the rock climbing community. During this past year, however, I climbed with some people who didn’t treat me right. Instead of sweeping everything under the rug, I addressed the situation head-on, and ultimately stopped climbing with these folks. I held my head high, and treated everyone with respect throughout the ordeal. Climbing isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, and I’m glad I can handle any issues that arise.
  3. I am pretty self-aware, and I know my limits. At the same time, I like to challenge myself and expand my comfort zone. As you can imagine, this is quite a delicate balance. This year, not only did I learn how to manage this balance, but I Iearned how to communicate what I am able to do as well.

There are some pretty fun things happening here at theDIHEDRAL for 2023 too, but you’ll have to stick around to find out what we have in store.

theDIHEDRAL Team

22 Replies to “2022 Successes”

  1. pkadams says: Reply

    Wow ! Your first paragraph was almost exactly one of the points I made in my latest podcast . We have to look back and give ourselves (and God) credit for our progress and even just surviving the past three years. Happy New Year and best wishes to you!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Becca says: Reply

    During this past year, however, I climbed with some people who didn’t treat me right. Instead of sweeping everything under the rug, I addressed the situation head-on, and ultimately stopped climbing with these folks. I held my head high, and treated everyone with respect throughout the ordeal. Climbing isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, and I’m glad I can handle any issues that arise.

    I feel like the above applies to everything in life! Super kudos for letting go of things that aren’t right and having self-respect

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Martha Kennedy says: Reply

    I’m sticking with breathing. It’s served me well so far, and I see no good reason to stop. The partner thing is a problem — I want to X-country ski, but I’m not so dumb that I’m going into the mountains alone to do that. BUT in my demographic there just aren’t a lot of elderly women looking for a ski pal. Really what’s up with that? Meanwhile, I’ll continue my rambles with the two most dependable partners in my life, Bear and Teddy.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. TomBoy says: Reply

    What a great entry! I can’t remember which year things happened either. Working really does cut into time to be outdoors and exercise. I would say that parenting does too. And I agree, doing anything for hours with a person who is a drain or mean just isn’t worth it. Nice boundaries and also goals.

    Liked by 1 person

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