Skiing: critical life skills
How to use your skiing technique as a life skill to elevate your happiness
I was lucky enough to spend some time in the mountains this winter. Getting up on a gondola and skiing down. Loving the wind in my face, being in nature, the excitement of going just that bit faster… On one of the runs down I realized how what works for me when skiing, actually works for me in feeling happier in life.
Let me share my thoughts.
Counterintuitive behaviour makes you a great skier and helps to address and overcome challenges in life
When you learn skiing and snowboarding, you need to embrace a counterintuitive approach. The right technique is all about leaning towards the valley, but intuitively, the body leans back towards the mountain. Even though it feels safer, it is definitely more dangerous. In life, most people try to pretend they don’t have an issue, deny the problem or pretend all is fine. This is the equivalent of leaning back towards the mountain. In order to resolve the issue in life, you have to go through the process of leaning forward, right into the issue, no hiding, which feels scary and counterintuitive. But that is the way forward to create the change. As my clients can tell you.
Taking control keeps you safe on the skies and helps you to take charge of your life
You can’t control the mountains, the ice and the snow. Let alone other skiers. The only thing you can do to keep yourself safe, is to control yourself. Concentrate on your skills and technique and making sure you turn at the right moment. In real life, you should concentrate on your own actions and reactions. You are not responsible or in control of other people. And if you want to make a change, you and only you can create it.
Being in the moment and taking one turn at the time
The best way down the mountain is with trust, going with the flow and only consider the next move. Nothing more. You never know what to expect, especially when facing a black run (the most difficult category). If you stand at the top and look down, the steepness and ice plaques might frighten you. However, if you take it one turn at the time, being in the present moment, it never gets scary. Same as in life. When there is a challenge, bring it down to bite size pieces and take one bite at the time. Or as one of my favourite sayings: ‘You can eat an elephant, but only slice by slice’
If you want to talk about one of your challenges or just experience what coaching is, you can book a FREE coaching call with me. Book here.
‘It is a great offer I found my free half an hour session very helpful xx’ – Victoria
