Balance.

Life is a balancing act. There is no way around it. We all have conflicting aspects of our lives that demand our energy and effort. I am a third year Communication Studies Major at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, CA and for the past three years I have been trying to find that balance between school and climbing. I have so many friends who are either talented athletes or madly in love who are all struggling with this same battle. One option is to drop out of school and pursue climbing.  Another is to stick it out and sacrifice getting all As and Bs for climbing trips. I have been trying to find a middle ground and pursue both climbing and school but have come to realize that I cannot excel in one without sacrificing the other. It seems like as soon as I make progress in one part of my life, another more neglected aspect comes to the forefront.

Me climbing on Midnight Lightning

 I’m trying not to complain. I love this life and I am forever grateful to have the opportunity to attend such a renowned school while being able to travel for climbing. What I am saying is this: I want to perform at my highest level in both school and climbing and right now that is not happening. I am scraping by in school and I am not performing in climbing. What should I do? Should I take some time off school and move to Colorado and clear my head for a while? Or should I stay in school and continue to push through the chaos? I still don’t know. I don’t want to make any hasty decisions I will later regret so instead I travel on random weekends to beautiful places around California to keep my fire burning. 

This past weekend I went to Yosemite National Park with some of my favorite people to clear my head. It was pure bliss. Every morning we made Americanos and breakfast burritos and sat under pine trees while gazing up at the towering granite walls. It’s hard to be unaffected by that sort of grandness. That relaxed inspiration is so comforting and motivating for me. It helps me move forward in my life in a progressive way. I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s real. I’m an idealist and I believe in the power of the human will. While life is hard right now, I know I will make it through with my fire still burning. I believe that. 

Here is a short video I put together that features some of the classic climbs I did in Yosemite over the weekend. Thank you for reading these blogs and watching these videos. I always enjoy input and would love to hear from you. 

Five Ten Athlete: Alex Biale. A Day in Yosemite.

Best,

Alex


http://vimeo.com/36332691