My Challenge, My Fear, New Heights

My Challenge, My Fear

Fear is a real thing.

I’m sure we all have our fears and some may even paralyze us.

If you have the time I’d love to know what one of your fears is and how you manage it.

For me the fear of heights is close to debilitating.

I hyperventilate, I can’t drink water or eat. I get real scared.

Kathy has no fear or heights or anything for that matter….oh wait…. getting up and speaking in front of a crowd scares her to death.

So when she told me we were going to hike from the top of the Grand Canyon to the three mile level along cliffs I was less than thrilled.

I hate the way my fear of heights controls me.

I feel like such a wimp and wish I wasn’t this way.

So when we got up this morning I was quieter than normal.

My nerves were a bit off.

As we got to the start I said to myself “look ahead, at the wall, not at the ground or what’s below you.”

I said “You are not going to freak out…you can’t….you won’t….you have to do this.”

I literally was telling myself not to panic, breathe deep and keep moving.

(That little line you see weaving down the canyon is the trail we were on. Six miles up and back)

As we climbed lower into the canyon my calm started to develop deep inside but I didn’t let it surface.

I choked it back.

It felt so good to know I’d, not solved the issue for the rest of my life, but managed it.

As we got closer to the top the fear started to try to come back but I did the same thing, looked up, talked too much (I do that when I get nervous) but made it out with a conquering attitude.

Later we were talking about it and Kathy said “Oh, I didn’t even know you were nervous.”

However when we checked our heart rate watches mine burned thousands more calories than hers. I’m pretty sure I didn’t work harder going up and down the canyon but my heart rate was soaring at points. LOL

I’m fortunate to have a wife who challenges me and doesn’t let me get away with mediocre.

I have many other fears yet to be conquered but knowing I took a notch out of this one may prepare me for what’s ahead.

What’s your greatest fear?