By Coach Lashawnda
The other day I was walking my puppy when a woman walking towards us stopped dead in her tracks. At first I paid no mind to her but my dog Louis (pronounced Louie), who is only five pounds started barking.
“Are you afraid of dogs?” I asked loudly. She was standing at least 30 feet away.
“I just don’t like dogs,” she replied.
“He’s not interesting in biting you,” I replied. She didn’t move.
Her fear made me think about my own.
I can’t swim. I remember trying to teach myself during summer camp out on a lake when I was younger. All the other campers ran right into the water and swam with ease. My fearless spirit made me think I could too but the water consumed me. When I came up for air I coughed up water. My eyes burned. I felt as if I were going to die.
Ever since then I decided I didn’t ever want to feel that way again. I won’t go too far out in ocean water and I won’t do too much in a pool. I long for my body to become synchronized with the flow of the ocean waves. I’ve just been too apprehensive to challenge myself to do anything about overcoming it.
Fear comes in so many different forms and on many levels. For many people it’s easier to just hold on to whatever binds them rather than try to overcome it by challenging themselves to conquer it.
What Are You Afraid Of? Time To Conquer Your Fear And Live was originally published on praisecharlotte.com
