We’ve all been there: Ready, excited and pumped to try something new. We know it’s a risk, but we’ve thought it through, weighed the options and potential consequences and finally made the decision to go for it.
It’s been on our mind for awhile, and while it’s scary, we’re feeling confident in our decision. We gear up as our friends cheer us on.
And then… we’re blindsided by a tidal wave of unexpected fear and anxiety just as we make that first move. We’re totally frozen.
We’re suddenly off-kilter and uneasy. This was supposed to be fun, exciting and a little daring, but not so scary that it’s paralyzing you!
And to add to the fear is the frustration, disappointment and anger we start to direct towards ourselves. We weren’t supposed to freeze. We were ready! We did everything we were supposed to do. We want to do it… right?
Our friends look at us expectantly. “You can do it. Just breathe. You’ve got this.”
Sometimes the encouraging words help. Sometimes they make it worse.
“I’m slow” had been a mantra for me ever since I got into outdoor activities. I would be painfully aware that I was bringing up the rear, the slowest person on the trail (or in the pool, or on the road). I constantly feared I was holding my friends and companions back, so developed a habit of apologizing for being so slow. And worse, an excuse to not get out there at all in an effort to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of embarrassment and incompetence.