By: Sarah Shannon, Director of Adventure Pursuits and Rock Gym
Grit is a hot topic. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, grit is “courage and resolve, strength of character.” This is an attribute we hope describes us, but how have we learned to have grit? How do we teach this to our students?
This is a question that La Vida has been wrestling with for almost 50 years now. Our programs push participants to step out of what is familiar and comfortable and into activities that challenge them, that make them nervous, anxious or even frightened. This looks different for each participant. For some students, their challenge is to put on the harness and climb three rungs up on a ladder. For others, it’s learning selflessness while on trail during an Adirondack trip.
At La Vida, we work to meet students where they’re at and challenge them to realize that they are more capable than they think they are. Growth happens when we’re challenged; when we are pushed to try something unfamiliar or uncomfortable and can then look back with a new perspective. The challenge course is a great place to start. We have each participant set a goal for themselves during their high rope experiences. If a student is scared of heights but tries to climb an element and gets farther than they expected, they might try to do it again and go further, setting a new goal based on their new-found resolve. They’ve shown courage in trying something that scares them and grit in trying to go further the next time. To accomplish a goal or conquer a fear, sometimes you have to start small.
I have been an athlete all my life. But, while playing field hockey at Gordon in 2013, I sustained a severe concussion after an opposing teammate deliberately hit me during a game and only played part of my senior season. Physical exertion was painful and left me with headaches that lasted for days. I was forced to stop exercising after the season ended. It was devastating not to be able to participate at the level I once had, and I felt like I failed. Failed my teammates, my coaches, my parents and myself.
During this time, I learned that the only thing that could heal the failure and anger I felt was grace. Grace meant giving myself permission to be “not ok” and to mourn what I had lost, to be upset over the hurt I felt and was still feeling. But most importantly, it was time when I had to let go and forgive the girl who had hurt me, and not to see ‘failure’ as the end of the line. Failure is only the first attempt in learning. And, without grace–without the forgiveness that grace teaches–I would never have been able to move forward.
The funny thing about grit and grace is that they tend to sneak up on us. As time passed and my body, mind and spirit started to heal, things gradually improved. In January 2018, I started CrossFit at CrossFit Five Plus, a gym co-owned by Gordon Alumni Chris and Sarah Welch. I was terrified to start CrossFit. I wasn’t in shape, I didn’t know anyone there, and I thought I was going to make a fool of myself. But I set my goal: complete the introduction class. I took a step forward, the first step up the ladder. Just like I tell participants.
During my introduction class, the coaches were understanding and welcoming, letting me work at a pace that fit me and giving me modifications for movements I couldn’t do properly. They explained that these modifications weren’t cheating or slacking off. Rather, I was doing the same amount of work as others, but without exposing myself to injury. So what if I couldn’t do a pull-up? The coaches gave me bands to help. How about elevated push-ups to start? Slowly but surely, throughout the days and weeks and months, banded pull-ups became kipping pull-ups and box push-ups went to knee push-ups and then to regular push-ups. I set goals during workouts to challenge myself further. And I began to see changes in myself. I was happier, more energetic. I could give to others without feeling like I was draining myself.
There were days I wanted to give up and never set foot in the gym again because it was so hard! But the members and coaches kept encouraging and helping me to adjust movements and set goals that fit what I was capable of that day. What I love about CrossFit is that any workout can be adjusted to meet you where you are at, just like we try and do for our La Vida participants.
CrossFit is still intimidating to me. Some days I walk in, look at the workout on the board and want to walk right back out. It is through learning to look at something intimidating and breaking it down into manageable goals, that I’ve learned to push myself to grow. I ask myself: “what is the written intent of this workout? What is my goal for the work out and how am I going to break this down into something manageable?” This is how I break down challenging experiences for La Vida participants. In breaking large goals into smaller ones, we prepare ourselves and our participants to practice grit and take that with them, so they put it into practice in their own lives.
There are days when I fail lifts in the gym, and days when a participant can’t make it past the first rung on a ladder. And that is ok! This is where grit comes in, and we stand back up and try again. Grit is looking at something that is difficult, an area you’ve failed in, something that intimidates and terrifies you and choosing to take the first step forward. Grit is experiencing fear, pain, and disappointment, then pushing onward regardless. And grace, grace comes to meet us where we fall short, where we think we have failed. Grace says that its ok to come back and try again tomorrow. Growth happens when we’re challenged- when we are pushed to try something unfamiliar. Growth happens when we can look back on where we began with a new perspective.
Sarah Shannon started out as an intern in our office after graduation and has continued her training to grow as a facilitator and now director of Adventure Pursuits and Rock Gym.