
21/07/2025
If you donât know me, you probably wouldnât guess that Iâve had a long-standing fear of boats, lakes, paddleboardsâbasically anything that floats.
But last week, I decided to face that fear. I got into the little boat you see in this picture and paddled around the pond. I was shaking as I stepped inâabsolutely terrifiedâbut I did it.
And it got me thinking:
How much of our fear is about real danger, and how much is our brain trying to protect us from something that feels unsafe, even if it isnât?
Sometimes, our minds trick us into staying in our comfort zone by flooding us with anxiety right before we try something new. But often, whatâs on the other side of that fear is something empowering, even joyful.
Moral of the story: the fear beforehand rarely matches the excitement that comes after we try something new. đ