Tough (Question) Tuesday: What have you done that you never thought you would do until you did it?
Nothing’s Impossible by BecauseICantPaint
There’s been this air around me of fear-conquering, and I don’t know why. Maybe because Luke asked me if I really wanted to take those trapeze lessons recently, and I’ve started really thinking about it even though I read a play-by-play of climbing up the tall ladder & it almost made me pee myself. Maybe because this post made me actually want to ride an upside-down roller coaster, while an old part of me says, “No you don’t!” (but the new part of me says, “Yes you do!”). Maybe because Wreck This Journal became Scared of my Journal. Maybe because I didn’t have a client for two weeks, and three weeks later I have 7 – the most I’ve coached at once. Maybe it’s because I was so scared to get started with group coaching, and yet my first session is on Thursday.
So, your tough question today is this:
What have you done that you never thought you would do until you did it?
As usual, I’ll kick off the comments by answering this question. Hope you’ll join me!
Related posts:
July 28th, 2009 at 9:13 am
I took a helicopter ride, & wrote about it here: http://is.gd/1R8ds ! I also traveled between islands on a 7-person plane, which I thought would be a 30+ person plane when I booked the ticket. I made Luke hold my hand the entire 30-40 minutes, and I only looked down periodically, but I made it to The Big Island and didn’t even toss my cookies.
July 28th, 2009 at 9:41 am
I went hang-gliding! It was thrilling and made me feel so alive. The butterflies in my stomach danced and threatened to derail me from my goal, but I did it anyway- checking that item off my bucket list. Great question- thanks for asking.
July 28th, 2009 at 9:45 am
And thanks for answering, Lissa! Hang-gliding sounds super scary and super fun. Maybe I’ll grow into that one day….the heights thing is still an issue for me, especially when you’re not protected by, uh, anything around you!
July 28th, 2009 at 11:50 am
It’s not along the same lines, I’m sure, but after a hospitalization earlier this year, I had to learn to give myself injections in the abdomen. Bear in mind, I don’t even have pierced ears…needles are not my friend, and I’m a big baby. But from that, I took away that the same mantra I have in the professional realm (i.e., “Feel fear and do it anyway.”) works in every other area of life. Scared? Nervous? Depressed? Terrified? Fine. Feel however you feel, but do what you have to do. It’s a very freeing thought that your emotions don’t need to dictate how you actually behave.
But yeah. Ouch.
July 28th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Last week, I ran 7 miles in one go. Growing up, I was the kid who hated running, who thought a mile was torture. And now, I’m training for a half-marathon. So, that’s pretty darn awesome. The running gets a little rough toward the end, but I don’t quit and I’m always so elated after.
July 28th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
A couple of years ago, I googled “running coaching/little girls” and found this not-for-profit that was doing just that. I went to an informational meeting and suddenly found myself in charge of training my own group of 12 girls for their first 5K, having never done it before even as an assistant, not being familiar with the curriculum and wondering how a curiosity turned into such an undertaking! BUT it turned out to be UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME. I was so proud of myself for just jumping in and trusting that I’d work it out one way or another. And they all finished!
July 28th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Well this might be corny but I would have to say having my daughter was the scariest thing I never thought I would ever do. : ) I was terrified when I found out I was prego but now that she’s here I can’t imagine my life without her! : )
July 28th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Performed Japanese Butoh dance in a public amphitheater at my college. Wearing only underwear with a body painted white. This isn’t us, but here’s an example (warning – NSFW):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnR1FJ6yQq4
July 28th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Julie – That IS along the same lines! Do you think I just willingly got into a 7-seater plane, with Pilot Doogie at the wheel (I swear the pilot was 12. Or 22. Same thing)? No! But I wanted to get to The Big Island, so I went. Not that it’s the same thing with giving yourself injections, but yes – it is in the fact that you had strength & courage that you didn’t know about!
Amanda – That’s amazing! I, too, was EXTREMELY unathletic, and running around the track would take me what seems like days. I’m still not great, but the hubby & I run about 2+ miles at a clip, which is huge for me. I can think about what it would feel like to run 7 – besides exhausting!
Good luck in the half-marathon! Seems like you’re gonna be in great shape for it.
Andi – Holy crapballs, how scary! I would be so nervous, too. But it’s amazing that you pulled it off without anything but your athletic knowledge & enthusiastic personality. What a born coach!
Sara – I like to say that Luke & I are -2 years prego, but it’s still extremely scary! Not only the responsible-for-another-person thing, but the actual being-pregnant-and-giving-birth thing. But millions of women have gone through it – and felt it worthwhile! – so I know I’ll survive. Although I may be asked to just be punched in the face when I arrive at the hospital so I’ll just be knocked out col
Cory – Um, that. is. awesome. I’m at work, so can’t click yet. Will do tonight, though!
July 28th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
First of all congratulations on the new client as I am pretty sure a few blog posts ago you only had 6 clients (If I am wrong in my count, what the heck, congratulations anyway).
For me it was sleeping in a room in Honduras, in the middle of the jungle, with a thatched roof, and a room full of tarantulas.
Did I mention I am heart stoppingly, scream like a little girl, terrified of spiders?
The plan was to take a couple of nice big fat benadryl so I could sleep (benadryl knocks me out) without having a heart attack. The problem was, when we got to our room there was the king of the tarantulas sitting on top of our medicine bag, and he wasn’t moving.
I am still pretty sure he was laughing at me.
I slept under the mosquito net, not much, but I slept, and lived to tell about it. The plus side of the whole adventure was: I am now no longer afraid of Canadian spiders, they are just so small and silly.
July 28th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
You’re right – I did get another client, Jeremie! Thankfully we don’t start until Sept 22nd, so I won’t have to forgo sleep anytime soon
I love how you’re no longer scared of Canadian spiders because they’re wussies in comparison to big, hairy, Hondurian (Hondurian?) spiders. That’s one way to do it! And go you for kicking some laughing tarantula ass.
July 28th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Teach acting. I just started doing it this year. One of my bests told me years ago I should do it. Now..that I have it. It just kind of flows with who I am as a actor and person. I love it.
July 28th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I have several:
1) flying a plane solo. yeah I know, I have my pilot’s license and everything now, but when I first signed up for lessons I was sure I was going to chicken out long before my first solo. In fact, when it came time to solo, I argued with my instructor that I was NOT READY. He ran out of the plane and left me sitting there on the runway, so I kinda had no choice but to go through with it. My legs were shaking until I took off; then I was so busy flying the plane I forgot to be scared.
2) Sky-diving. It sounded exciting but again I thought I would chicken out when it came time to actually jump. They assured all of us first-timers that no one would force us off the plane if we decided not to jump, so up I went. And again, once it came time to jump, it all happened so fast, and I was so busy following instructions I was hurtling through the air before I had time to process the fear.
3) This one will make you laugh — peeing outdoors. I have a shy bladder and managed to go through my whole adult life without having to squat behind a bush. This made for very short hikes! I would avoid any situation where outdoor peeing was likely to be necessary. Until I decided I just HAD to raft the Grand Canyon rapids. It meant a 9-day trip with camping overnight (i had never camped before either). Knowing I could not hold 9 days worth of pee (or solid matter) I was forced to overcome my reluctance — then of course I wondered why I had made such a big deal of it. I can drop trou in a hot second now!
July 29th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Shell – I love that! Another natural born teacher, just like Andi.
Joanne – You are too, too funny. But don’t worry – I won’t test you on whether it’s really only a hot second for you to drop trou! Awesome. Like me with my helicopter, you realized that the experience would be worth more to you than the fear, and so you went with it. Big pat on the back for both of us! And, uh, regarding the flying a plane solo & the sky-diving…holy crapballs. I didn’t know that about you! Such a thrill-seeker & an adventurist. Can you mail some of your need for adrenaline to me, please? I need it!