Forced Fear Facing

I cringingly watched my daughter Hazel catching crabs at the beach with her bare hands, something that I have never done in my 43 years. (for fear of being pincered).

As she made me realize that it was no big deal, I caught my first couple crabs, not nearly as yucky as I had imagined it to be.

Similarly, when Olive lost her glasses on the lake bottom, five minutes of belly and arms combing the weedy lake bottom quickly got me past my fear of slimy lake detritus.

Two fears crushed in two weeks, and neither instigated by me.

The story we tell ourselves about how great, or terrible any given situation will be, will generally become truth. Though in reality, the fears are often greatly exaggerated in our mind’s eye.

Give gratitude the next time someone invites (or forces) you to step out of your comfort zone. It will make you a much stronger human.

• Now that’s a peak ethos.