Over the past weekend, my buddy and I went surfing at our usual spot on the island. The waves were big and strong, way tougher than what I was used to. Actually, I’d never braved such intense waves before.
Once I managed to paddle out to where the waves break, it hit me: fear. I was scared. This fear held me back from really committing to catch a wave.
After waiting for a while, I finally decided to give it a shot, but I didn’t fully go for it, and I wiped out. Luckily, I was fine.
I realized that if I wanted to challenge myself, I had to face that fear head-on. It wasn’t easy, though.
Then another big wave came. I told myself to go for it, so I paddled hard, caught the wave, and rode it. Something amazing happened. After I did it, the fear disappeared. Instead, I felt free, excited, and really happy.
This whole experience got me thinking about fear and what it means.
Why do we think fear is bad? Why do people tell us that if we’re scared, we should stop and turn around?
But guess what? Fear isn’t a bad thing. It’s actually pretty cool. Fear is like a guide telling us what we should do to make the life we want. When you’re scared, you’re totally alert and focused.
Fear pushes you to take action. It makes your heart race and your breathing speed up. Fear makes you ready to do something, to face a challenge.
But here’s the thing. You have a choice. You can either listen to fear and let it stop you, or you can ignore it and keep going.
Picture this: if you had a tool that tells you what’s important and where to focus in your life, how would it work? Well, that’s kind of what fear is like.
There’s one catch, though. Fear can make your body ready for action, but your mind screams “stop!” Because we often think too much and don’t pay enough attention to how our bodies feel, we end up listening to our minds.
But guess what’s wiser than your mind? Your body. It knows what you really want. It talks to you through feelings, hunches, and emotions. So, following your body is a smart move—it’s way better than just listening to your mind, which can be influenced by what others say.
Now, here’s a trick I used while surfing, and it totally worked. I tried it again the next day when the waves were still big, and it worked again.
Change your breathing. Yep, it’s that simple.
When you’re scared, notice how you’re breathing: it’s probably fast and shallow. That’s your mind telling you to “STOP!”
Now, try this breathing trick:
Take three short breaths through your nose, then breathe out through your mouth.
Start slow, and as you get closer to doing something, speed it up a bit.
Believe me, it works!
Just remember, when fear shows up, you’re the boss. By changing how you breathe, you can make fear less powerful. You’re in control, and you can do more than you think.
In this big game of life, you’re not just riding the waves—you’re riding the waves of your own adventure.
Jay Bialecki – You are awesome!