The Art of Bouncing Back (When Snowboarding)

It was day one. I had been there less than two hours when I was asked to leave.

I felt an odd mix of shame, embarrassment, and frankly, sweet relief.

I was still in my twenties, so I knew I would bounce back.

Unfortunately, it was the ‘bouncing back’ that got me thrown out of the group in the first place.

Apparently, I was a danger not just to myself, but to others.

Most people would have got on the next flight home, but being asked to leave the beginner’s snowboarding class in Vail, Colorado because I was bringing everyone down (literally, including the instructor) turned out to be a real blessing in disguise.

Why?

Because after that, I picked myself up (again literally) and:

✔️ Went husky sledding

✔️ Tried out snow-shoeing in the Rockies

✔️ Took some incredibly beautiful photos

✔️ Read some awesome books (The Prophet by Khalil Gibran & I am David by Ann Holm)

✔️ Went exploring

✔️ Started a journal (that I still do every day)

Plus I ate some of the best burgers I’ve ever tasted!

All in all, it turned out to be an unforgettable life-changing trip where I discovered a lot about myself, experienced some amazing new things and, best of all, relearned how to enjoy my own company.

Have you experienced anything similar (not a mad woman hurtling towards you at 100mph on the ski slopes, but an experience that didn’t turn out quite as expected but worked out for the best)? ⤵️⤵️⤵️

Originally published at https://eleanorgoold.com on August 10, 2019.