The Fear Factor

In order to move forward in life you need to be able to face fears big and small.

Each day I try and do something that scares me. For me thats an easy task, because there are a lot of things that scare the shit out of me.

Me scared? Yes, this crazy tattooed Red head is full of fear, some days the fear is so bad it is debilitating. Fear comes in many forms. No many know that I am extremely uncomfortable going out to a venue, being on camera, talking to people, love, motorbikes, failure and success, just to name a few.

Years of karate has taught me how to hide fear. When you are in a fight, your opponent can and will sense your fear and eat you alive in the ring. In my days of competing I was always told I was so intimidating, because I had that look of determination and calmness. That was actually the look of sheer terror. It seemed to work because I was a successful Karate-ka & Boxer Shitting myself in the inside and calm on the outside.

My purpose in life now is helping people finding ways to face theirs, but in order to do that you have to be able to face your own and show others that you are vulnerable and you are normal just like everyone else.

Our fears tell us so much, but we aren’t in tune to these fears and what they mean. I’m learning this and enjoying the challenges I am faced with. That little bit of liberation after confronting a fear is intoxicating. But like anything, conquering it doesn’t end there. You need to respect it and continually work at it, because when you least expect it, it will come back with avengeance.

6 years ago I was fortunate enough (yes I say fortunate because this experience changed the course of my life) to be given the opportunity to challenge my souls worst nightmare. Heights, trusting and letting go. The power pole experience! Those that have done it know just how confronting this is.

You are made to harness up. Climb a 10m power pole that will sway with your shaking. You then have to pull yourself up into a tiny platform. Then trust and jump out to catch the trapeze that is hanging just out of your reach. I cried, I yelled get me the f*** down, Im not doing this, and that was only a few pegs up the pole.

Something happened in that 5 minutes that changed my world forever. Something made me get up that pole and jump. The scream that came out of me was blood curdling, something left me, something changed. Everyone stood in shock of what they just witnessed, no one could explain, but they all knew that moment was powerful.

I am really struggling with trust and letting go of late. I thought I had dealt with some issues, unfortunately blocking them out and not dealing with them they are going to come back at some point. So my old foe’s Fear & Anxiety and I had a day together yesterday to earn and learn some respect.

The trapeze is an amazing apparatus and fun activity to learn about yourself and to deal with your fears. You have to have complete trust in the equipment, the instructors, and yourself. Once you nail these components the flow just happens and you are left with the feeling of freedom flying through the air. A liberating experience that transfers into life.

Those first few moments of climbing up the ladder to the board, you loose all senses. Then they hook up the harness, while holding you they get you to reach out and grab the bar, that point you are telling yourself WTF….then they say grab onto it with your other had “are you f***ing crazy” ..Then they expect you to jump and swing off the bar? I was pail when I landed on the net the first time. I was quite happy not to go back up.

But then that crazy awesome thing started happening. Now moments!! and this foreign feeling of letting go and trusting.

If you fight the feeling and try to be stronger, the flow isn’t going to happen and you’re not going to achieve the outcome. I felt this on one of the passes.

The only way for me to be able to do the Trapeze was just to keep telling myself Trust and let go of EVERYTHING…ok maybe not bodily functions that could have been a little awkward flying through the air (cheeky laugh).

It worked a treat, as fearful as I was, that fighting calmness came over me and I trusted. and I nailed that first attempt at catching. The relief and sheer joy is priceless and one if the best feelings in the world.

When you think you cant….yes you can.

We all have our own Brave

All these type of experiences transfer into life when you can throw caution to the wind.

Having the Courage to face a fear, gives you Freedom, you’re no longer bound by the chains of hopelessness. This is where Happiness lays, this is how you move forward by facing a fear big or small.

What fear are you going to face tomorrow?

Courge Freedom Happiness

Cindy Rella