A couple of years back, I had to step away from a sport I loved. My body was always on high alert, m…

A couple of years back, I had to step away from a sport I loved. My body was always on high alert, mistaking the thrill of a climb feel like a life-or-death chase. Chronic anxiety is no friend to a climber; it’s like trying to scale a peak with an lion nipping at your heels.
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Then came a trip to Yosemite that turned from celebration to terror. Panic gripped me mid-climb, ruining what was supposed to be a happy climb for Luke’s birthday. That day, I had the worst panic attack I’d ever had, crying and shaking on the wall, forcing myself to push through it until I of course failed miserably and had to come down.
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I hiked back in with my spirit gutted and I was wrecked for the next 24 hours. If you’ve ever had one you know that panic attacks can be traumatic.
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Fast forward through years of meditation, breathwork, and rewiring my nervous system, I decided to lace up new climbing shoes (yep, post-baby feet are a thing) and face the wall once more. 🥾✨
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I felt flight or fight kicking in but I breathed through it and finished the route because I knew I had tools to control it. When I hit the ground, I turned to my trusted 4-6-8 breathing technique, and completely calmed my body down in about 2 minutes. In for 4, hold for 6, out for 8.
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The revelation was liberating—I can climb, as long as I listen to my body’s rhythm, allowing the adrenaline to ebb before the next ascent.
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Here’s to new beginnings, to finding balance, and to the sweet victory of returning to what you once loved, one breath at a time.
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Who else has reclaimed a lost passion? Share your stories below!
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