Climb Every Mountain and Kick the Trolls in the Teeth

I really don't like that song in Sound of Music, You know the one declared, "Most Likely to put every 80's graduation attendee to sleep"...yes...the infamous...Climb Every Mountain.  I love Sound of Music but when that song comes on I usually fast forward.  I kind of detest it.  It's boring.  I'm sorry.  It's as dull to me as watching grass grow. Same with that goofy song the cowardly lion sings in Wizard of Oz...If I were King of the Forest...zzzz....zzzz.....zzzzz.  They are buzz kills for me.  Going along, enjoying the drama, and bam - the dry, gritty, boring truth of reality drawn out for five minutes of yawning solo.  I know not everyone will agree and that's okay - it's only my opinion, everyone welcome to their own.

However, no matter how I feel about the song, the message is pretty darn good.  Climb it, Cross it, Follow it until you find your dream. In case you forgot...

Climb every mountain,
Search high and low,
Follow every byway,
Every path you know.

Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
'Till you find your dream.

A dream that will need
All the love you can give,
Every day of your life
For as long as you live.

Repeat

So my thinking is life is like this.  We are all full of purpose and gumption and ready, set, go, then we hit the pocket of average, day in - day out, just the regular life stuff and it can seem dull.  Speed-Bump.  So while I am waiting for the next 5K, the next buddy walk, the next challenge, maybe I should spend a minute with this epic if not monotone song and see if I can figure out why, while hiking, it came to mind.  (This happens often when I'm out exercising.  Songs, movies, blog ideas - pop into my head).

So here is what I get from ... Climb Every Mountain

Climb.  Why climb?  Well if I have learned one thing, it's this, 3 miles at 19 minutes a mile, will not get easier until I start to tackle 4 miles or 3 miles at 18 minutes.  Meaning, if I just keep doing the 3 miles, status quo, it will keep me right where I am.  I have proved this over and over.  Do that 4 miles a few times and 3 miles seems like a piece of cake. 

Climb because to stay where I am is to become stagnate.

Climb because it moves me up, it elevates my performance.

Climb because it stretches me. Got it, Climb!

Every.  Oh boy, what is every? every is every....As we know, as I know, there are short cuts I try to take, there are avoidance moments, but if I want to keep up the good work, I better be set on every.  Once I start picking and choosing mountains, I start slipping backward. (Not to say we can be perfect, I know I have limits and I have to be realistic.  So I get it, every is about climbing every mountain I possibly can - I can live with that) Don't beat myself up but don't let myself down.  Every, within reason, Every.

Every effort counts!
Every victory makes me stronger!
Got it, Every!

Mountain, What is a mountain?  Mine...a bad day at work, not enough sleep the night before, leg cramps, other cramps, time challenge, packing work out clothes for an after work walk, packing work clothes for working after morning walk. Not enough determination.  Fear of the next challenge.  Rain. And why are they mountains?  Because they are big, they loom over me, intimidate me, challenge me. Mountains, easy to identify, difficult to tackle, immovable obstacle that I cannot go around and must learn to conquer.  Mountains I get. 

Then there are Trolls. Wait, Reverend Mother didn't say anything about trolls.  I know, but I'm adding those in because they lurk at the base of those mountains. Trolls are those crazy, toxic thoughts, people, excuses, feelings that seem to know just how to scare me away from the mountain before I ever get there. I just have to give those trolls a karate kick in the teeth, hypothetically speaking of course.  Knock them back a step or two and carry on!

Quickly closing...my husband and I went out for a hike on our Memorial Day weekend outing. We went on a new trail in a park we had visited once before.  We set off to climb the hiking trail that boasted a 300 ft elevation change.  It was here I became aware of those Climb Every Mountain lyrics rolling around in my thoughts.  It was a 3 mile hike that took every minute of two hours.  It was difficult and for me, quite a challenge but the scenery was beautiful. Little streams and beautiful lush canopy were everywhere.  Reminding me, there is a reward for climbing.  Sometimes the bigger the mountain, the bigger the reward. But no matter what the reward, big or small the best reward of all is the satisfaction of knowing I'm doing it.  I'm moving and moving some more. 

I almost missed my Thursday evening walk, a long dreadful day at work and frustrating circumstances beyond my control but in the end, I knocked the troll off my path and carried on with my plans.  Had a great walk! 

So when things get dull, I can use that time to prepare mentally, physically, emotionally for the challenges ahead.  And even if I've heard the message a hundred times it bears repeating.  Climb Every Mountain.  Repeating again, Climb Every Mountain!!

That's all ~ Thanks y'all!