Real fear is not something you simply conquer, defeat, or leave behind. I don’t think it works that way. Real fear makes your body shake. It makes each breath more shallow – at a time when you need air the most. True fear is an incredibly uncomfortable weight to carry. Maybe the worst part, is seeing others do the very same thing that’s paralyzing you… and enjoying it. In those moments, fear of judgment can feel like it’s own separate fear.
I recently confronted my fear of heights and it was terrifying. I didn’t transform into a new me, and I definitely didn’t overcome it. What I did do, was face it. I stood there in its presence and looked it straight in the eye and let it be. Well kind of… I did the very best I could.
Maybe that’s enough. Erasing fear altogether may not be possible. Meeting it, and still choosing to walk yourself through it, is enough of a victory for me.
I keep reminding myself that it doesn’t matter what they think. What matters is that I showed up, and I stayed the course for as long as I possibly could. To feel fear fully and still take a step – that is my new definition of bravery.
Comfortable in my corner 