Top Six Reasons Why You Need to Face Your Fears!

This weekend, I took a boat ride from Glen Cove, New York, to Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sounds lovely, right? I was so fearful of going! Read on for the top six reasons you need to face your fears.

It was a two-and-a-half-hour ride each way. Besides a car ferry, I was never on a boat ride that long. I was terrified of facing this fear. But I did.

A good friend was captaining the boat, and my husband and I were passengers. We headed to Bridgeport to meet my daughter for lunch. Everything went fine despite my trepidations; I am thrilled I faced this fear and am pretty proud of myself.

What fears do you have? Have you ever tried facing them? What was the result?

Face Your Fears

As a breast cancer survivor, can you guess my biggest fear? Yup, recurrence! Every new ache makes me automatically think the big C has returned. It is a frequent topic in my therapy session, but it is far from my only fear.

Additionally, being a Pisces, my anxiety around water seems odd. Shouldn’t I love it? I like the ocean’s smell and sounds and its overall beauty. But I do not want to swim in it! Nor would I enjoy being stranded on it. Hence, my fear of a long boat ride.

Further, I like admiring the water from a safe distance. Preferably, on a beach chair, under an umbrella, about seventy-five feet from the surf. That’s what I call a perfect beach day! So, why am I reluctant to swim in it?

When I was in grammar school, I had a near-drowning incident. A group of us were on a sandbar when the girl next to me stepped off it. She panicked and wrapped her arms around my head to stay afloat. I threw up salt water for three hours and lost all desire to be in the water again.

The crazy thing is that I know how to swim. Truthfully, I have never been fond of swimming with unknown “creatures.” Put me in a pool, and I will swim (or float) for hours. I’d gladly learn to water-ski if there was a pool large enough!

Why should you face your fears? Entrepreneur Magazine published an article in 2015 stating that facing your fears could help you achieve massive success. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/252739 Below are the top six reasons why.

Fears

• Help you decide what’s real
• Help you create appropriate responses
• Help you develop courage
• Help you develop wisdom
• Help you develop compassion
• Help you develop resilience

Who wouldn’t want all six of these attributes? I believe we all would; however, facing your fears takes a lot of work, and it is often easier to bury fears than admit them. I have been white-knuckling my boating fear for years.

Prepare to Face Your Fear

Between family and friends, I have been around boats most of my life. I am not complaining and know how fortunate I am. My anxiety has improved due to the frequent boat rides I have taken. But it’s been short trips to a restaurant or to tie up and socialize with other friends. Consequently, I about fainted when Maureen suggested we go to Connecticut when she invited Mike and me for a boat ride.

Face your fears as if your life depends on it, because living in fear keeps you from living.”

― Jeanette Coron

Holy moly, a lot of preparation went into this journey! I spent the day prior psyching myself up to be able to do it. I didn’t want my friend to know how nervous I was for fear of insulting her. Moreover, this was my fear and had nothing to do with her. Incidentally, she did make me feel safe with her handling of the boat. It was amazing to me that she knew where to go. Still, fear is fear, and I was determined to overcome mine.

Boating is so different from driving. There are no mirrors on the boat to see who is behind you; likewise, there are no lanes to follow. How do you know who has the right of way? Plus, boats don’t have any brakes. (yikes) It’s a whole other world out on the water! Additionally, we would be traveling for two and a half hours each way. No wonder I was nervous, right?

Facing A Fear Feels Terrific

I am happy I did this and enjoyed myself. It was a beautiful day on the water. Maureen was an excellent captain, and I was proud of how she handled the trip. While I admit I frequently spoke to myself to stay calm and may have silently chanted a few affirmations, I got through it unscathed, and it felt terrific! (Seeing our daughter was a definite bonus too.)

It is good for me to step out of my comfort zone. If I can do this, I can do anything! My confidence got a massive boost from this, giving me the courage to overcome other fears. What fear have you faced, or would you like to face? I hope this post gives you the incentive to face one of your fears.

If I have said anything that resonates with you, kindly let me know in the comment section below. I hope you have a fearless week!