Once again, skiing becomes a metaphor for life. New snow, new Saturday, new ski instructor. This guy understood what I needed almost instantly. We chatted for a little bit. He watched me ski down a beginner hill. We talked riding up the lift. His only advice when we got off the lift? "Don't think; just do it." Skiing down intermediate hills for the rest of the day, he would say things like, "You're doing GREAT!" Every once in awhile he would try to elaborate on some of the finer points of skiing, bringing mathematical and science concepts into it. "You've lost me," I would sigh. "Don't worry about it. Don't think about it. Just FEEL it. Just DO it."
I only seriously biffed it twice, skiing off the trail and into banks of fluffy white powder. But I didn't get injured and my skiing improved immensely. He said my second run was ten times better than my first. "Skiing is about having fun, isn't it?" By the end of my two hour lesson, I found myself smiling more, swearing under my breath less.
Just do it. Yeah, it's a good mantra to remember.
