I've only actually been slacklining a couple of times and the only time where I actually succeeded at it was a while ago and I haven't been since; but if I may - I would like to claim it as my hobby.
Slacklining, for those of you who don't know is basically tight roping but instead it's a flat rope and usually performed between two trees of at least medium diameter. It takes a LOT of balance and even more determination. Some people have a natural born skill and others are hopelessly unable to do it. I thought I was one of the hopeless but this last time that I tried it I succeeded! I was actually able to take 6 whole steps! Which has never happened before except when my brother helped me and that didn't count. I was so excited when I could stand but then when I started walking - that was one of the most wonderful moments of my life. (Exaggeration is wonderfully untruthful) :D
While I was trying to learn how to stand and then walk on the nylon rope, I learned something about myself. I pull myself down mentally. I knew this to some degree already because of Math and how bad I was and how my eighth grade Math teacher helped me (thank you Mrs. Brinkerhoff!) but I thought I only did it in math, but I do it in a lot of other things as well and I guess one reason why I never was able to slackline was because I told myself that I couldn't, I had balance issues and it was a guy thing and my brothers would all always be better than me at this. Then my oldest brother who had taken my sister and me this time said something. "Do it with the intention of doing it." I know it doesn't really sound that profound but at the time it hit me really hard. When we do something hard we can't say I'll try or I really want to but I don't think I can; we have to finish with the intention of going on until the end.
So that was really cool. I highly suggest slacklining for those who have a hard time focusing or with stress, because you're forced to both focus and leave everything else behind, including stress. You just stare at the other end where you want to go and leave it all to your instincts. If you focus too much on where your feet are at the moment then you'll misplace them and then fall, which sometimes can be pretty painful. You just look ahead and your feet with miraculously place themselves where they need to go, as if they were made to do it. The initial standing is the hardest but if you start walking right after you have accomplished standing then balance and footing are very easy.
I know I could relate this who thing to life . . . should I? Haha I think I will. If you focus too much on the little things in life, like where your feet are exactly and placing them just right then you might end up somewhere you didn't want to be, like on the ground. Whereas if you keep your goal constantly in your view and never waver from that - it's all the easier to do. Just relax and let your feet take you where you're already gonna go, along the straight and narrow! :D
Also - when you do fall down, you can't give up and call it quits. You have to get up again and try it over and over and over until you get it right. Don't end life with a quitter's attitude, when you fail - just forget it and learn from it and try again.
I kind of wish I could think of my own little quote to sum this all up . . . let me think . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nope . . . sorry - no juice in the lemons today. :)
Love you lots!
-Kaylla
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