Instagram story viewer> @shep_learns> Posts

D$

@shep_learns

370

followers

12

following

Learning and creating as meaningfully as I can 💌
Check out ➡️ @teamboulderrally @shep_dawson

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

🇲🇲Ignore any subtle foreshadowing 🇲🇲

Pistol to his face v12 Set and FA by @shep_learns

3

8

10 days ago

“The desire to be better than ___ can choke off the simple desire to be… Let the critics spot trends. Let the reviewers concern themselves with what is in and what is not. Let us concern ourselves first and foremost with what it is within us that is struggling to be born“ (The Artist’s Way)

Create. Write something. Draw something. Notice something. Exist. Be human. Spend your time and money on as many things you believe in as possible. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. by @shep_learns

3

6

19 days ago

Droughts do end.

To grow stronger I am led to first learn to be kinder. To be kinder I am directed to start within. Noticing that how I speak to myself echoes into the universe and bleeds into how I speak to others. How I speak to and think of others is a shadow of myself.

I have a professor this term who greets each student by their first names. He has done so since the first day of class. He listens intently, speaks softly, and his presence is kind. Kindness is something I have always loved. The extent of its power however is something I have never appreciate to its capacity. This man starts my 8am lecture with a greeting a smile and a heaping of kindness. It kickstarted my soul. I was in a rut and magically I was speaking to strangers again, my inspiration for the sport grew bolder, my appetite returned. You matter and the small things you do, do not go unnoticed. Keep pushing forward and I love you. by @shep_learns

3

13

a month ago

Feeling not like myself on the wall as I heal up. Spent more time chatting to people in gyms and have been inspired by the sheer amount of care and passion people hold for this sport. In Ontario or at least at many gyms near me it’s often felt like they couldn’t care less about community and the people which love these places and this sport. I think I’ve focused on this broken relationship too much and forgot just how beautiful it is that we all care so much about a sport/space/community. I hold out hope that community can prosper in spite of the lack of love our gyms often provide. Much love to Steven from Hamilton who chatted with me about this board account and all things climbing and not. by @shep_learns

3

3

a month ago

Managed this one without 3 of the black holds but had to get it on video the @slab_shifu way.

Been riddled with injuries and some misfortune lately. My finger injuries are starting to heal so I got a good session in at both GRR gyms yesterday and had a loud pop in my knee while heel hooking. Unsure what that will hold but I will do my best. Also had my car broken into and various things including my climbing bag stolen which contributed to me not competing at rosebloc champs this year. All that to say I am still quite happy. I feel the least attached to this sport I may have ever been and confident that regardless of these obstacles I will be stronger in all scopes once I am healthy. by @shep_learns

3

12

2 months ago

🫸Attachment and Connectedness🫷
Picked up a finger injury last week and took a week of the sport. In past this rest week would’ve been a rough week for me. I’d have struggled to enjoy other aspects of life and frankly been negative to myself. I’m entering a place in my relationship with the sport that time away doesn’t feel as incapacitating, I am beginning to be more connected and less attached. My attachments stem from growing up in climbing and my ego/identity being intertwined with it. Not to say that I am completely detached now, I still catch myself reacting to things or strong emotions coming up that I do not wish to identity with. But a good sign that I’m proud of is to be able to rest when my body demands it and fall into others aspects of my life. This week involved seeing friends, going for walks, and a little ball hockey. It’s beautiful how we can be connected to the whole Universe yet attached to nothing at all.

I wish to connect more and attach less 💌 by @shep_learns

3

4

3 months ago

🟡Energizers and Drainers⚫️
This week I challenge you to be honest about what drains you and what energizes you. Not what makes you tired or energized. What makes ~YOU~ (your soul) feel like it is being fulfilled or diminished. Rest for me has been a struggle for a long time. I’d spend moments of rest obsessing and analyzing what is next and what has passed. I’d scrutinize each detail until I was more drained than I begun. School instilled in me a sort of survival instinct to bounce between work nonstop until the term was done. That is not the way I wish to live. I value rest and things that “fill my cup” more so now than ever. For me it’s time with loved ones, walks just to walk, writing these and time outside. So what are they for you? What can you do today instead of being on this phone that steals so much from you. Maybe a brief walk outside, or a text to a loved one, draw something or write or create it doesn’t matter what. Just create. I think if you’ve read this far you are wanting and willing to grow so create something and destroy it after. Or share it with a friend or me with the intent to inspire not receive validation. This one is a little distanced from climbing but I hope it gives you something to think about and perhaps inspires energizing choices 🍯

Not entirely sure what this is but happy I created it

Last week I was told “I can’t believe I get to read these for free” I didn’t know how to react because I held a mask of trying to be non needing and just create for love of doing so but boy did those words make me feel fulfilled. So thank you to all those whose small acts of kindness shape our world into a better place 💌 by @shep_learns

3

5

3 months ago

🫟Bloc Shop Open🫟

How much do you value audacity? Define it personally as you will, but for me audacity is willingness to look a fool in an effort to grow and be present. This event I took inspiration from Cam an athlete I coach who signed up for the pro division and went and gave it all he had with a smile on his face. To be great at anything we must first begin. To be a beginner or new to something and allow yourself the vulnerability to try without any guarantees is beautiful and inspirational. I think what holds us back from being the beginner and trying something new is ego. More specifically one of egos strongest tools, fear. Be it social, acceptance, or threats to our internal ‘safety’ that fear of what may be, robs us of what is, the present. Stripping away the Now takes failure and success away and leaves us to intellectualize life. But life isn’t meant to be intellectualized or overly thought about. Life is meant to be lived. So this week I challenge you to notice your fear, notice hesitation, reservations, and patterns within you. Be they self imposed prisons or rules we’ve acclimated since youth. This week let yourself be the beginner, be new, be unknowing, childlike and curious.

On a vibey note MTL French toast might be the most delicious thing I’ve eaten and my friends are pretty dope. by @shep_learns

3

15

3 months ago

Attention span tester :)

Shoulda added subway surfers and flashing lights 😵‍💫 by @shep_learns

3

9

4 months ago

Week 2: 🌜Strength in Numbers🌛

This week I challenge you to invite someone to do something. We as people are animals that thrive in community. We are not meant to be alone. Most if not all of my greatest experiences within and outside this sport are in the company of those I love. This vid is from a sesh this week with 3 homies. These sessions are the ones that not only mean the most to me but also help push me the most. Be the person who reaches out, be the person who makes time for loved ones, be the type of friend you want to have‼️ “I’d rather go 0-30 than 0-9 because you go 0-9 that means you stopped shooting” - Kobe 🐍 by @shep_learns

3

9

4 months ago

Week 1: 🧿The Art of Noticing🧿
I’d like to start talking about things that are more meaningful to me on here so this first ones inspired by @ethangeremia …

Ethan was trying to learn how to do something and I had given him some physical cues to play around with. He said he was improving but he could see himself consciously thinking about the advice on the wall. For me the wall has always been a place where the conscious mind steps aside and my best moments are when that old concept of “me” would let go of the wheel and allow the movement to happen. The first step was identifying that I am not the one who was thinking, next I am not the emotions, now I am at a point where I am only the one who notices. This mindset is what I tried give Ethan. Having intentions beforehand is good, but the present is for living and experiencing not thinking through. This week I am working on delaying my judgements and reactions. This is not limited to sport it extends and flourishes beyond the gym.

One of my biggest limiters in competition for a long time has been judgement. I put labels on boulders. This one is small box, bad, too hard, too easy, I make them into my own creations before they have the chance to be. So as I work to let things just be and appreciate them as they are maybe you too can notice labels you put on things. Do you label yourself? Or maybe your family and friends? It’s amazing what happens when we let people and things just be without passing judgement and imprinting our self on to them.

I challenge you to notice more and judge less this week. I love you and thanks for reading this far 💜 by @shep_learns

3

7

4 months ago

Knicks took the chip… ANYTHING IS POSSIBLLLLEEE 🗽
@grr_wat by @shep_learns

3

5

4 months ago