Getting Honest about Fear
It's 4am and I'm dimly aware that my jaw is clenched my stomach churning. My mind is a waterfall of thoughts. A swirling cascade of images and fears.
What do you do when fear takes a grip? And why am I telling you this?
In taking on this climb I know I am taking on a very significant challenge. It forces me to confront my fears - both real and imagined. These updates are about dealing with the very real highs and lows of my adventure. I guess my hope is that I can share not just the physical journey with you but also the voyage of inner discovery.
So how did I respond to my 4am challenge? What I did was pause and become aware of what was actually going on around me. The gentle tapping of rain on the roof, my breath going out and coming in. Less attention on the story factory in my head and a gentle redirection of my attention onto sounds. Staying with this for about 15 mins was tough. Gradually my clenched hands began to relax. And fresh air wafted into my cluttered mind.
It was by no means a quick fix. What was most important was to simply and calmly place my attention on what was real. Without judging. It is something that I have total control over and a tool I can use anytime, anywhere to move me from FEAR to peace, from OVERWHELM to calm, from FROZEN to enabled.
It is a mind tool that I will practice over and over. So that at the toughest times it is already a pattern that clicks in. On the mountain there will be times, when the only tools I have to fall back on will be those in my mind. This is one of many key tools I will be using on the journey.
Would it work for you? Give it a try and let me know what you find out.
Thoughts from Kathmandu
Sarah Wilson
Adventure Coach
Posted by Sarah Wilson on 30th August, 2010 | Comments
Tags: Adventure, Goals, Challenge, Cho Oyu, Attitude, Fear
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