Change – such a loaded word.  In many cases it instills fear and worry.  It is something to be resisted and avoided.  It is uncomfortable.  Change is sometimes tough because we fear the unknown, and everything on the other side of Change is unknown.

But there comes a time in every person’s life when “enough is enough”.  Also a time when “not enough is not enough”.  I’d venture to guess that we’ve all thought or said outloud, “Something HAS GOT to change!!”  It is in these cases that we view change as a good thing.  I propose these 2 thoughts to ponder regarding Change:

(1) It is happening all around us whether we embrace it or not

(2) It is not the change that is good or bad, it is our attitude toward it that determines the type of effect it will have on our lives.

I would like to illustrate this by being transparent with some of the changes here at Real World Climbing.

When I talk about being a climber living in the Real World, what I mean is: I’m just like 95% of the climbers in the world.  I am fairly obsessed with this ‘activity’ and I think about it all the time the way a golf enthusiast thinks of their golf game.

But with all of the Real World Climbers out there, I have responsibilities: a 40+ hr./wk job, a never-ending honey-do list, a spouse and children that I need and want to spend time with.

While working in a cubicle and closet sized office environment for a several years, I have often dreamed and schemed of ways to make a living in something I was truly passionate about, as opposed to something that just pays the bills and allows small pockets of time to pursue climbing.  After nearly 2 years without a full-fledged vacation, this agitation only magnified.

To be in full disclosure, I don’t think like the average employee.  Having owned/operated a freelance business for several years, I am an entrepreneur that happens to have found himself in traditional employment.  Needless to say, sitting in a cubicle, performing mundane tasks, and dreaming about climbing, at times I became a bit edgy and at times irritable.

I began drawing up plans for starting a second business, a Real World Climbing themed business.  I found small pockets of opportunity and was launching into them, again on a freelance basis.  It felt good to be on the front end of the change process, to be in control.  Until… changes started happening on their own.

Baby #3

We found out we were expecting our 3rd child.  And honestly, we were excited about the timing.  As we neared the date of birth of our 3rd son, I notified my bosses on several occasions that I would be taking a full week of vacation.  ‘No Problem’.  Earlier in the year, the director of our department took another opportunity.  A month after that the VP over the department transferred to marketing.  It took nearly 6 months to hire even one of the replacements and when they did, this new director came into a tough situation.  I don’t blame him for making his next decision, but it still stung.  One by one, I saw my counterparts being let go… the ones that worked out of satellite offices.  I worked in Minneapolis, our department was based in Indianapolis.  So when I announced I was taking my week vacation, they politely thanked me for my service and let me know that I would not be needing to return after my son was born.

So in a matter of days, I was out of a job and welcoming Gavin into our family.  80% of me was completely relieved, but the 20% uncertainty remained.

You may or may not have noticed a 6 month blog posting hiatus here at Real World Climbing.  I do apologize for my silence.  I have really taken this opportunity to spend great quantity and quality time with my family.  It has been extremely fun.

I checked off many long overdue items on my honey-do list.  Like a complete kitchen/dining room face lift.

I also built yet another section to the Garage Climbing Gym.  I couldn’t resist the itch… besides, I had a bunch of plywood donated and had to do something with it, right?

New Headwall Section ~ 15° to 75° to 15°

And I got serious about making a Real Living with what makes me feel Really Alive.  I am thankful for how much I have learned from my 1st business.  I am thankful for how much I have learned in my first year blogging on this site.  And I am thankful for all that I have learned about climbing through books, videos, blogs, mentorship, and trial & error.

So enjoy the changes as they are rolled out here on Real World Climbing.  Some small logistical changes are already in place.  How do you like our new look?  Like a new dedicated Twitter account: @realworldclimb  And a much more interactive medium for Real World Climbers to collaborate on our brand spanking new facebook page.

Some of the exciting things to come include: more consistent content updates from me and guest writers, interviews with our fellow Real World Climbers, a video tour of the entire Garage Climbing Gym, and some further insight in how Real World Climbing is Really Making It.

Thanks for sticking with us!

~ Climb 4 Real ~