Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Don't Face your Fears Alone...Face them with Friends!

This weekend I had the opportunity to do something that I normally wouldn't do.  I took a chance and faced my fears and climbed a rock wall!  

Although I have wanted to try this for many years, I wasn't sure if I could do it!  Would the fear of heights overcome my body and leave me shaken with fear, or would I cry half way up and need someone to physically pull me down?  I didn't know the outcome when I walked up to that wall for the first time.  I knew I had the physical strength to do it, but mentally could I?

It was very easy for me to cheer on my girlfriends, and give them step by step instruction of where to place their foot when they didn't know where to go next, or the encouragement they needed to take one step higher to ring the bell at the top of the wall.

But when it came to my turn, all I could say to myself was, "You can do this!" I took a deep breath, wiped my sweat-filled hands on my pants and started to climb.  I felt confident that I had the strength to make it to the top, then about half way up, I stopped .  Ummm...yes, it was high, yes the grips were getting harder to reach and my hands were sweating more than before.  Once I stopped, I started thinking, maybe this is as far as I can make it, maybe it is time for me to come down, maybe I am not ready to conquer my fear!  But before I knew it, I heard this voice, "You can do it Jen, take a deep breath and think...Spiderman!"  Then another, "You got it Jen, you are more than half way!" Then with a deep breath and the encouragement of my friends, I took another step closer to ringing that bell, until I did!

OMG!!! What a feeling of accomplishment!  I was still sweating and now shaking, but I DID IT!!!  (and it is on video!)

I climbed 2 more times, each on a different wall progressively more difficult.  I was proud of myself, of my strength both physically and mentally, but even more of my friends.  Without them I would have quit!  I needed them, because they believed in me, and with their encouragement I faced one of my greatest fears!

With friends anything is possible!  

Oh yeah, and when I replay the video my hands still sweat!

1 comment:

  1. i found the blog! so cool to read about the rock wall. good job!

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