A Time to Face Your Fears

While my sister and I were in NYC, I had to face some of my fears.

While walking I did not always have the option to avoid the grates that lead down to the subway. Pigeons were everywhere – I am not overly afraid of birds, but when they are in big groups and look like they could come at you – that I am scared of. Heights don’t normally bother me, but it was something else to be on top of the 70 stories of the Rockefeller!! I did not get very close to the edge of the glass…

The most faced fear was those revolving doors. Many places didn’t even give you the option to go in a normal door. They only had these circular ones. I do not know what started my fear of them. Where I live they are easy to avoid, but we did not have the choice in the city. I could feel myself holding my breath and my shoulders creeping up closer to my ears when we went through these doors. Due to having to go through them constantly, I did adjust to them throughout our trip.

When I went with my parents to visit my sister in the Twin Cities, we went to a restaurant with both normal and the revolving door, and I didn’t have to think about it. I went through the revolving door with ease. I continued breathing and my shoulders stayed down where they are supposed to be. I looked at my sister and said that NCY changed my fear of these doors. I did not even look for a normal door like I used to.

Now I know that a fear of a type of door may seem silly to write about, but to me it was a big deal. Sometimes the only way to get past our fears is to face them straight on. It helps when there is no other option besides through. Traveling is a great way to learn new things about yourself, and find ways to face fears whether you knew you had them or not. Trying brand new things can be scarry, but you may have an experience that compares to nothing you have ever done before. Don’t be afraid to live your life. Don’t let others hold you back.

I normally try to avoid telling you what not to do and encourage you to do… But in this case, don’t let your fears keep you away from living the life you want to live. Going through the experience with someone will help – my sister was with me looking through the glass, walking over the grates, past the birds, and through the doors. (Thanks Sis!) Find someone you trust and maybe you can help each other face your fears.

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the think which you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“Don’t let your fear of what could happen make nothing happen.” – Doe Zantamata

I am still not a huge fan of groups of birds, and occasionally I still avoid walking over grates if I have the option. Don’t feel like you have to face your fears all at once. Take on one or maybe two and celebrate the little victories.