What’s Your Approach to Life?

On a recent hiking trip in Tennessee, I had a life changing experience in a way that helped me see that how we approach life can directly affect the quality of our lives and life experiences.

I have been to different parts of Tennessee in the the past, Memphis on the western side and Gatlinburg on the east, including The Great Smoky Mountains, but had never explored middle Tennessee before. This trip turned out to be not only a wonderful adventure into unexplored and unknown parts of the state, but also an awakening of a different kind.

We spent days hiking to different state parks and to beautiful waterfalls that I did not know existed. Many of the hikes were strenuous and involved rock scrambling and hanging onto trees and at one point, and a cable to climb over huge rocks to get to the desired destination. Each day offered a surprising new journey that involved exploration and adventure into beautiful secluded waterfalls.

One of my favorite hikes involved hiking to Cummins Falls. I didn’t realize how incredible this waterfall would be until we arrived at the magnificent tiered falls at the end of one of my favorite hikes ever.

The hike to Cummins Falls involved hiking down a dirt and rock forested trail to a calm and tranquil flowing river. We hiked on the side of the river on a ledge of rocks until we literally hiked up the river in the warm flowing water for about one half of a mile. Being a foothill river, the water was warm and small fish swam upstream. We carefully made our way back and forth across the river and navigated the path that would lead us deeper into seclusion and closer to the waterfall.

The closer we got to the falls, the bigger the rocks were. We began rock scrambling over huge boulders, mindful of each footstep. My favorite hikes have always involved rock scrambling. I love hanging onto rocks, whether going up or down, and being fully emerged in the experience, feeling one with nature.

Eventually after intense rock scrambling, we saw Cummins Falls. It was so beautiful! Water cascaded down several tiers of rocks in numerous places. We carefully scrambled down to the water’s edge and balanced our backpacks on a angled rock and made our way to the water. Usually waterfalls have cold crisp water, but this water was warm and inviting. We slowly walked further into the water and then took the plunge into the fall’s depths.

We spent hours swimming, climbing and standing underneath the warm flowing waters. I had found heaven in Tennessee. I never wanted to leave. After several hours, we sat on one of the rock ledges in the waterfall and let the flowing waters massage our backs as we watched people arrive over the massive rock barrier. I couldn’t help but notice a group of three older women with hiking poles who made their way cautiously and carefully over the last sharp rocks at the water’s edge.

One of the women immediately got into the water and started swimming. She was smiling ear to ear as she motioned the other women to join her. A second woman took off her hiking boots and waded cautiously into the water and joined her friend. The pair made their way to where we were sitting under the waterfall. Both women were happy as we all sat facing the shore.

The women motioned for their other friend to join them. They kept waving their arms shouting for her to join them, but the woman on shore kept shaking her head no. Eventually, they encourage their friend to come enjoy the beautiful waters, so one woman swam back and guided her into the water. Together they walked in the water next to the rock wall where it was most shallow. The two women got about half way to where we were sitting, when the one woman changed her mind, turned around and headed back. I could also see the disappointment on the face of the friend who had tried desperately to get her friend to enjoy the adventure, but for some reason she couldn’t or wouldn’t do it.

Time passed as we continued to swim, play and stand under the falls. I floated for what felt like hours looking up into the waterfall’s cascading waters watching people jump off the rock into the pool below. The sound of their jumps would echo off the rock walls that surrounded us. Everyone there seemed to be having a wonderful time. For me, nothing is better than swimming in a waterfall. It’s rejuvenating, grounding, refreshing, healing and clearing. I love nature and being in nature awakens my soul and makes me feel so alive!

Toward the end of our time there, I noticed that the first older woman that arrived in the group of three was still swimming and having the time of her life. She appeared to have met another single solo woman and I watched as they made their way to the top of the waterfalls and together they counted to three and jumped off the rock into the water below!

Eventually we had to leave, but on our way out, I passed this woman and said that I had watched her jump from the waterfall and thought that was really amazing. She smiled brightly and said, “I didn’t think about it too long because I knew that I would change my mind, so we counted to three and jumped!

This woman didn’t know it, but she was an inspiration to me. So many people don’t go on adventures when they get older but become sedentary. People also use excuses such as they are too old, or they become fearful. Fear can be a destroyer of living life to it’s fullest.

Having left that experience and waterfall behind, I will always remember that woman and her spirit for adventure. She didn’t let age stop her from having the time of her life, nor did she care what other’s thought of her. She was completely emerged in the situation and in the beautiful environment that she was in.

How do you approach life? Do you let fear stop you from living your best life or from having new adventures? Do you have a hard time letting go or having fun? Or do you immerse yourself, step through the fear and follow your dreams of truly living?

This recent experience of observing other people and how they approach life, is a reminder to me to never stop exploring, never stop having fun and never stop living my best life ever.

Most people do not consider how they approach life, but think for a moment: how are you approaching life? What’s keeping you stuck or preventing you from having new experiences? Is it the past, or are you creating your own barriers?

Life is short, don’t have regrets.