Choosing Your Own Path in Life and the Pursuit of meaning JoyfulEasy

I went sledding (mountain snowmobiling) with my friend Rick yesterday. Not much base snow yet but 2 feet of fresh powder so no open riding just trails and logging roads up to Mt Hall. When the snow is deep the sledding is awesome the carving is smooth and ‘floaty’. You need to ride ahead of your sled, picking and choosing your own path carefully as to avoid getting stuck. Rick led the way for most of the ride as he was more familiar with the trails and turns.

I noticed how much more fun it is to carve the fresh snow than to just follow someone else’s track. I noticed how much more proactive you need to be to see the line in the untouched snow and make it your own. It keeps you zoned in on creating your ride experience (if you zone out you usually wipe out or get stuck) Sometimes you cross your buddy’s line or there is just one good line for a given piece of trail, so you follow his tracks for that part.

I was having an awesome time. Good time snowmobiling I hadn’t had so much fresh powder to ride in on this sled before. This sled was new and awesome to me (2014 Polaris RMK Pro). I bought it used at the end of a previous season and the previous owner had it all tricked out with Fox Air Shocks and a few other mods. I was Stoked !, feeling in the zone at the next stop I remember saying to Rick,” I’m really getting the feel of carving this thing with such control”.

Jinx!

Not more than 20 minutes further down the trail going up a steep hill around a tight corner I gapped out for a second (getting fatigued, looked for tool long at where I didn’t want to go instead of focusing and looking at where I did want to go). I blew the corner and ended up with my sled upside down in a 5′ deep drainage ditch by myself, I was abruptly reminded why staying alert and choosing your own path is so critical. Rick turns out blew a belt about a kilometre up the trail so he was busy fixing his own problem. Fortunately, we had radios to communicate.

So at first I was a little rattled and concerned my sled would leak out its gas. I remembered to stay calm assessed the situation and started working at getting my sled flipped back upright and building a ramp and filling in the ditch, moving rocks etc to get my sled out of that ditch. It took a lot of strength, energy, thought, composure, and effort but I got that sled out of that ditch by myself! I was pumped about that. Just as I rode out of the ditch Rick came riding back down the hill ( he had fixed his belt himself also). We had to head back after that as Rick’s spare belt was tentative at best. We made it back and all was good.

Experiences Guide Principles to Apply Everyday

It’s way more fun, present and engaged to be creating your own path (cutting your own line)
It’s OK, even wise, to take or intersect someone else’s path when it makes sense or there is no other choice.
Rest when fatigued or you will likely lose your focus and bail.
Believe in your ability to self-rescue when there is no help available.
Stay calm asses your situation be strategic in your moves (self-rescue)
Inner ease allows more useful energy for things that matter ( no sense freaking out).
- notice the obstacles but look and focus on where you want to go.
Sometimes the most difficult situations are the most awesome when overcome because they strengthen and liven us up.
Go have fun and do things that push your boundaries.