"You will always feel fear, but over time you will realize the only way to truly manage your fear is to broaden your comfort zone," said by Alex Honnold, the first and only person to ever free solo El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. I merely scratched the surface of his audacity while climbing outdoors for my second time this past summer. Indoor climbing is all I have known, growing up in a swamp otherwise known as New Orleans. My brother introduced me to the activity a few years ago, and I have chased the climb ever since. Feeling the real, pure rocks on my sweaty, trembling hands as I ascended up a rock no higher than fifteen feet drove fear into my heart along with passion and excitement. Nearing the top of the rock, fearing many potential injuries, I threw my hands up ahead of me without a clear indication of where to grasp and with it came a rush I have felt nothing like before. Sticking the hold and topping out while gazing upon the nearby boulders and blue sky ahead was one of the most thrilling moments of my life. Taking that risk has helped me grow in more ways than I can count. I knew immediately there was more at play than the sweet adrenaline coursing through me. This moment was meant for me and was a calling to seek out more in life and pursue adventure in all aspects of life. Answering that call and chasing the climb is what I hope and expect for myself in the future to come.