Facing Your Fears

I sat down to write this blog post once before. My fingers started typing and out came a totally different and unexpected post. Read our previous blog, "Make It Count", to see what happened with that one. So, I will attempt this one again. On one of our lives in the Triple Faith Tribe group, we had a rapid fire question thing going on. One of the questions fired at us was, "What irrational fear do you have?" Shelly's was easy. She has a fear of frogs. She will be the first to admit it is irrational. I sat there thinking and finally said, "heights". My mind went blank, but my IRRATIONAL fear would definitely be emus.  Yep, I said it. Emus. I don't want anything with a beak too close to me, but emus and ostriches will chase you down. They will stomp on you. They will eat every morsel of the food you wanted to make last for all the animals in the park right out of your trembling hand. They will end by pecking your eyes right out of your head.  That's a word to the wise. Please beware. (Can you tell I had an unfortunate incident at a drive through animal park? Is it obvious my family laughed during this incident and still makes fun of me for it? What if I told you at least part of the incident MAY have been captured on video?) But because we had not read the question list before the live, my mind went blank. I do have a very, very real fear of heights. But I think that one is totally rational. I can stand at the top of our basement stairs and my tummy will turn flip flops. All that being said, I have always tried not to pass that fear (or any of my fears/chains) on to my children. I've always told them to face their fears. (not in a reckless way...) So one summer, when we were at Disney World, we spent the day at the water park. I'm not a fan of water parks in general. They kind of gross me out, and they require you to get wet. But I slapped on a smile and pretended to be having the time of my life. My children spied the Summit Plummet. It is a very tall water slide--120 feet tall! If "The Google" is correct, it is one of the highest and fastest water slides in the world. Did you hear me?! IN THE WORLD! My children were plenty old enough to go on this, so I couldn't use that excuse. So I just told them I couldn't do it. They could go up with their dad. I would wait at the bottom and cheer. They begged me to go. They were saying things like, "Face your fear."  and "You're always telling us to face our fears." Don't you love it when your own words get thrown back in your face? I spent half the day pretending to enjoy myself but constantly looking at that giant. I felt half sick. They would bring it up constantly. I finally agreed. It horrified me to think that my children were about to watch my demise, but that would teach them a lesson. Ha Ha Ha! Just kidding!!! I was completely convinced they would see me in a full blown panic attack and someone having to carry me back to the ground. That I was pretty certain would happen.  We started the climb to the top of this mountain. In order to shove yourself off to sudden death, you first have a three story climb. With each step my heart pounded harder. I was trying to crack jokes, so I wouldn't cry. About half way up it dawned on me that I was also taking my children to possible sudden deaths. We finally made it to the top. I was praying, trying to breath, and reminding myself not to look down. Once we were at the top, a lady panicked and headed back down the steps. Oh how I envied her. My family latched on to me and told me not to even think about it...or something to that effect. The water slide employee started the thirty second training on how to place your body to avoid friction and boomeranging your body off the (straight down) slide. When you sit at the top, you can't really see the slide below you because again, it's straight down. I heard them tell the person in front of me to push his bottom off when ready.  I let them know there was no way I would be pushing myself off that thing.  No problem. As soon as you get in the death position, they will gladly shove you off. Well as you might have guessed, I survived. I peeled myself off the slide at the bottom. I pulled my bathing suit out of places it never should have been. But I rejoiced that it was at least still on my body. I'm sure most of you can guess what my children said upon reaching the bottom. That's right. "Let's do it again!" No, I won't be doing that ever again. But I was proud I faced that fear...that giant. I proved something to myself that day. I showed my children something that day. Are you facing a giant? Maybe it's a scary decision, pivot in your life or business, health issues? Maybe you're in a valley that seems hard to climb out of. Be encouraged. Take one step at a time. Don't. Look. Down.  You've got this!