Like with anything else in life the more you do a certain activity the more proficient you become. However progress is not always smooth; you will hit some bumps along the way. The reasons for this are many:
* You might have an injury that forces you to use that body part in a compromising manner.
* If you have not done any scrambling hikes in a while, you need time to become comfortable with the movements and techniques again.
* Your balance is off.
* You do not have the correct mental attitude. This is the topic I want to write about.
Many great rock climbers say climbing is mostly mental. If you perceive a move as difficult, then it will become difficult. The questions are: How did you develop this attitude and how can you change it?
You might have had a tough time with numerous moves during a hike and your confidence is now lacking. You might have seen someone fall. This can really mess with your head. You might have heard about someone dieing while scrambling. This can really make you stop and think.
To boost my confidence I draw upon past experiences. If I have done a move before, then I know the move and it should actually be easier, unless I have some physical problem.
If I witness a fall and recall that in my mind, I need to realize it has nothing to do with my climbing ability. I need to understand I am more cautious when my confidence is not at its peak, consequentially I am more careful and the odds of falling are even lower.
Eventually confidence comes back even if you don't try any of the above methods, though it will probably take longer. The bottom line is you want to enjoy scrambling and to do this you have to be confident and not worry about the next upcoming climb.
As Red said in Shawshank Redemption: Get busy living or get busy dying. I am busy living when I am hanging on the side of a mountain.
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