The Things I Love Most

Tips To Enjoying Life With Your Family

Live Life! What is your Barrier?

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Growing up I loved the outdoors. I loved to hike, swim, and travel with my family.  When I met my husband he introduced me to Rock Climbing, Cliff Jumping, and River Rafting.  Things I never thought I would be interested in or dare to do.  We loved to do them together and I got pretty good at it.  Since having children I haven’t pursued as many adventurous things, which is fine, those days aren’t over for us! Some things I can’t do in my life right now, but there are a few things I know I could, but something holds me back.  A couple years ago I ran lots of races and triathlons.  Obviously having more children has held me back a little, but I still think it’s something I could work at again.  Also last week my husband and I climbed for the first time in 6 years again.  It was a blast, and made me think about how we could fit more of that into our family life! 

Let me share with you this story of Erik Weihenmayer.   Erik is the only blind adventurer to climb the seven highest summits of the world. 

 
His goal is to live a No Barriers Life.  His latest adventure he has been preparing to kayak the Grand Canyon’s Colorado River! On September 7th he started a  “No Barriers Grand Canyon Expedition”. A 21-day, 277 mile journey through some of the world’s most challenging whitewater terrain in the Colorado River.   He and fellow blind adventurer, Lonnie Bedwell, will be the first blind adventurers to attempt this enormous feat. They are also accompanied by an experienced paddling team. The trip began on September 7 at Lees Ferry, nine miles south of the Arizona-Utah border. Erik and his team expect to complete the expedition at Pearce Ferry, which marks the boundary between Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon. 

Now some of you might think that is crazy, but in living a No Barriers Life, he has also prepared for the adventure that he is set out to do. When it comes to adventure, the smart way to go about it is to prepare for it. His preparation for the expedition has been extensive, with both Weihenmayer and Bedwell spending the last several years training and developing innovative systems for kayaking rapids with support from high-tech radios and verbal commands from river guides. If you want to follow along on their adventure you can head here...http://naturevalley.tumblr.com/tagged/nobarriers. 


I think we as humans put barriers up because of fear, time or possibly you don’t think you have the skills.  What if we put those barriers behind us and decided to live a No Barriers Life?  Sound easy?  Probably not, but could you do it? I bet so! It doesn’t mean it has to be done tomorrow, but it can be something that we are working toward! It also doesn’t mean that it has to be a physical adventure, it can be anything that causes you to stretch and reach and as Erik says “Go to the summit of your life!”

Eric wants to inspire people to not limit themselves, to get rid of their barriers and live life to its fullest.

Nature Valley is joining Eric and inviting people to pledge to get out and live a No Barriers Life. They are encouraging one million people to take the pledge. Take the first step by visiting their website today! Then get on social media and share your pledge! Use the hashtags #MyAdventure #GetOUTThere

About Nature Valley – Nature Valley has a long history of commitment to nature, outdoor activities and the national parks. The brand finds inspiration from the beauty of nature and the way people connect with nature – whether that’s from a fearless adventure like those undertaken by Weihenmayer or an everyday hike. It’s Nature Valley’s belief that experiencing nature enables people to feel most alive and Weihenmayer is a great demonstration of their belief.

So here I go again…Wish me luck on my adventure!



What are you going to do to live a No Barriers Life?

Disclosure ~  This post is sponsored by Nature Valley and Sverve.  I received compensation for this article.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

Comments

  2. This is a very inspiring post; thanks for sharing the stories. I glad that you were able to do an adventure with your hubby. I like the thought of a “No Barrier” life.
    Blessings for this one!