Challenge by Choice

I know it has been a long time since I posted a life update on here. In fact, it’s been more than a year since I’ve posted anything. I have so many new ideas and started posts that I never seem to finish. I have been wanting to give a life update, but I can’t even seem to sit down and actually write out all of the important things I’ve learned and experienced and want to share with you all. Even this post is not a whole life update and evaluation. However, the past two weeks have been profound for me and I just can’t not share this particular bit.

However, I will give a little bit of updating (sans commentary), leading up to the purpose and story of this post. Here goes.. Back in May, I graduated (cum laude 🤓) from Ashland University with a Bachelors of Science in Social Work degree.

(Yes, I know it should be BSSW on my cap. Yes I know this is commentary I said I wouldn’t be making. Oh well. It’s my blog and I can do whatever I want 😝)

I then spent the first half of my summer relaxing and unwinding after four years of hard work. At the end of July, I applied for, took and passed the licensure examination and officially became a licensed social worker in the state of Ohio.

After applying for a few new jobs, interviewing for a couple, accepting one and moving to a new city, I began the next big journey of my life on September 10th: my first real job as a social worker. I have been learning so much and experiencing so many new things in such a short time, my brain feels about fried already. But I am so excited. During the first week, we did a lot of orientation stuff but also a couple of fun activities in which I learned the phrase “challenge by choice.” Basically this means that there may be a challenge presented to you, but you get to choose whether you want to face that challenge or not, because only you know what you bring to the table that day or what you can handle or are capable of that day. If you take on the challenge, good for you. If you decide you need to sit it out, that’s okay too. This has really stuck with me.

So, this second week, as a team bonding exercise, we all were presented the challenge to climb the pamper pole. I went in thinking “there’s no way. I am not doing this. I don’t do heights like this. I’m not a good climber. I’m too fluffy. It won’t work.” And I knew that my team would support me if I chose not to try it, because they are all amazing individuals who have nothing but support to give.

But then, as I watched other people take on their fears and heard my team cheering each person on, I thought to myself, why should I choose not to face this challenge? It’s not that I am incapable of doing this, it’s that I am afraid of failing or getting hurt or being laughed at. And heck! Two years ago, I jumped out of a friggin’ plane (another story that’s been lost in the time I haven’t been posting. I’ll shar eventually)! If I can do that, then I can do this. So, with the support of my team mates, I strapped up, and I set to work climbing the pamper pole, with the goal to get as far as I could.

(All strapped up and ready to pee my pants, haha)

(I’m pretty sure this makes me a monkey)

In the end, I only made it about a third of the way up before I lost my grip and decided to come down again. It’s not as far up as I had hoped to go. But it was farther than I would have gone had I chosen not to take on this challenge. And guess what. When I came down, it was all high fives and “Great job” from everyone. So, even though I didn’t do as well as I hoped to, I am still proud. I still achieved something on this day. And now, I’m ready to try again harder the next time. My choice of challenge? To not let fear limit me from accomplishing my goals.

(Clinging on for dear life after losing my grip on the handholds)