My last column was about roller coasters and being cautious when you ride them. Some people who read it were amazed that a free spirit like me would be so careful and avoid something like a roller coaster as a way to fulfill my thrill seeking drives. My thrill seeking has taken a turn that is more like a self-challenge than a desire to be scared out of my wits or to risk my own health for a moment’s pleasure. This past week 5 members of our staff traveled to Colorado to embark on some team-building exercises and I thought I would share our experiences and maybe even challenge some of you to expand your horizons and push the limits of what you think you might be capable of in order to achieve a sense of confidence beyond your current awareness. There is no substitute for the feeling that you have actually done something that you thought was too much for you or something that you were afraid to tackle.
A few years ago I went to a place in the Rocky Mountains called Glenwood Springs. It is a quaint mountain town that boasts a one million gallon mineral spring-fed swimming pool that is 400 feet long and 100 feet wide, supposedly the world’s largest hot therapy pool (100 feet long by 30 feet wide), and an area where there are caves that mimic a steam room naturally. I loved the way I felt after enjoying the time I spent there, and vowed to return someday. It was time to go on a team trip, and I persuaded our staff members to choose Glenwood Springs as a destination for it. The spa-like offerings of Glenwood appealed to everyone. A promise of a spa day to include herbal body wraps, full body massages, and unlimited time in the mineral spring water pool and vapor caves was all it took for the gang to jump on board and fall in love with the idea of a Rocky Mountain getaway. The only things I left out of my original description of the trip were the possibilities that we would go on a whitewater rafting adventure down the Colorado River and a rigorous hike that meandered one and a half miles through a portion of Glenwood Canyon and up to a lake that was created by a geological fault – mostly vertical, rocky, and very challenging.
Did I fail to mention that the youngest member of our traveling team is 30? When I outlined the adventures of our trip I met some silent stares and comments like, “I’ll be waiting on y’all when you get back.” One of our staff members mentioned the fact that heel spurs and leg cramps would certainly keep her from making a hike like the one I described. Her husband even warned her not to attempt the hike. Our office manager who is also my mom said, “I’m not going rafting. I don’t like being in the sun and I’ve never done it before. I’ll go for the walk but I’m not going rafting.” So off we went – the divided and unsure group that we were. I pretended to be completely confident in what we were about to do, but I myself had never been whitewater rafting. I had made the hike to Hanging Lake, but the river I had never attempted. I was going to test myself if I expected everyone else to. I made the reservations for the rafting trip to be on the first day of our five in the mountains.
All five of us showed up to the rafting company slightly apprehensive but ready for our limits to be tested. The trip was a three hour adventure that would take us over some exciting rapids on the Colorado River and would require that we sign a waiver of liability that took all responsibility for injury off the shoulders of the outfitters. That made me nervous, but we had to sign the waiver if we were to go on the trip. We suited up in our huge orange life vests and took off for a beautiful trip that none of us would ever forget. It was fun and we all helped to paddle the boat down the river and through the rapids which were much milder than any of us had imagined. No sweat. We had handled the first hurdle of our challenging trip hands down. We celebrated our first victory and all built a little confidence for the next round.
Hanging Lake was next. We all started on the trail early the next morning, and it seemed too mild at first. It was a concrete path that wound along the banks of the river and led to a trailhead that went immediately up onto a rocky course that would challenge the very fibers of our beings. For the next three hours, we struggled uphill, over boulders, and through very rugged terrain that required us to give each other a hand at more than one turn. We were pulling on each other and stopping so that each of us could rest and get water. Everyone was cheering each other on and offering encouragement all along the way. When we finally reached the top and there was a breathtaking view of a beautiful blue lake and a rock which spouted icy cold water from its belly to form a gorgeous waterfall we were in awe of what we saw and what we had accomplished. No one could believe how far we had come or what we had endured to get there. Our victory was huge, and we celebrated it together. All of us had photos taken at the base of the mountain when we came down to show people what we had done. Everyone commented that if we could climb that mountain there is nothing we can’t do.
The upshot of this whole trip is that we all broke barriers that we had placed before us. No one drowned. No one was too sun-scorched. No leg cramps or heel spurs got in our way. Mountains were not too high for us to climb. Fear was replaced by camaraderie and trust in each other. We truly had the best team building experience of my life. I appreciate the people who work in our office in ways that I have not before. I challenge you to find new ways to get to know yourself and the people around you. Go out of your comfort zone and try something you said you never would. Trust in those around you to help you widen your horizons. You will be glad you did. Treat your body and your spirit well.