Challenge yourself

I recently went bungee jumping. So far the people I have showed the pictures and video of my jump to have looked at me with incredulous and worried looks to say the least. Most have not really had the nerve to say it to my face but I read it in their expressions, they all think I am crazy, especially those that know me well. You see if you know me then you also know I have always had three great fears. 1. I have a fear of any large expanse of water. I have never learned how to swim and some of my worst nightmares are of me drowning. It’s so bad you practically have to hold my hand while I watch my son swim. 2. I have a fear of all creatures other than humans. Animals and insects terrify me, from the largest of animals to the smallest and probably least harmful of them. If isn’t human then I am afraid of it. 3. Fear of heights. I have stood on tables to change a bulb and then practically been stuck when the time came to get off. I am afraid of falling from any height.
So now the big question is how did I then, under no duress whatsoever, in a completely sober state, allow myself to be tied to a rope and sent dangling down a hundred and eleven meters? My only answer, I was sick and tired of being crippled by my own fear so I challenged myself. It just felt like the right time to be bigger than atleast one of my fears. And so I jumped. And yes, I won’t lie to you, initially it felt like I had made the biggest mistake of my life and I wouldn’t come back up conscious, but then that feeling was quickly replaced by a freedom I could never manage to put in words. During the walk back up from the bottom of the bridge to the top where I had come from, I didn’t walk with my head raised high (I figured there was plenty of time to do that), instead I walked daringly looking down at those rails and for once in my life not being afraid of what I saw beneath me. Veni vidi vici, I came, I saw and I conquered. I had risen above my fear and I came back up affirming to myself if I could do this I can do anything.
My jump also brought with it an “aha” moment. I realized that life is a little like that fear of mine and the bungee jump I took. If you are just willing to take the leap you might just discover strength in you that you might not have found otherwise. Life shouldn’t be easy. An easy life doesn’t help you aspire or encourage you to want more and fight for it. You absolutely need to be challenged and face challenges. You also need to face your fears. You need to look at yourself in the mirror and say I am bigger than any situation or mountain that may be laid in my path.
We hear so many times of individuals that struck gold and all we dare say is boy weren’t they lucky. Well I disagree; I really doubt it has anything to do with luck. These so called lucky individuals were just willing to take a chance where and when no one else would. They were willing to take the challenge. We hear these real life rags to riches stories every single day but for some reason most of us just choose not to act on it, we just don’t get it. You need to take a chance. It isn’t okay to stay hidden in the shadows and just get by. Well atleast not for me anyway. One of my favorite quotes is by Marianne Williamson and it says “Your playing small does not serve the world.” So why are most of us humans content at sitting in the shadows, why do we feel it’s okay to just get by? Why not get by and get ahead while you are at it? Doesn’t that seem like a better alternative? Why are we afraid of challenging ourselves???
This is the year I have decided to challenge myself and made affirmations that I constantly remind myself of; I believe there is no job I cannot do. I believe that there is nothing I cannot achieve. I believe it is important for me to face challenges and that these challenges are simply sharpening my skills in preparation for the big strike of gold ahead of me, I don’t believe these challenges are there to cripple me. I believe that every stumbling block that has been placed in my path was not set there to make me stumble and fall but to help me discover potential that has to be excavated out of me. Most of all I believe that I now only have 2 fears and if you speak with me in a couple of months I will probably be down to one if not none. I have one final belief and that is that anyone can be someone if only they take that Leap of faith. So go ahead, right now, this very moment take your leap (and it doesn’t have to be a bungee jump). Challenge yourself and aspire and dare to be more.

Submitted by Anonymous

Courage