When I was a kind I used to be afraid of practically everything:  I was afraid to go to sleep lest I have bad dreams, afraid to stay awake all night for fear that I'd be a veritable zombie the next day, afraid of bringing undo attention to myself because I might appear the fool, afraid of letting go of something I loved, afraid of getting lost, afraid of changes of any sort.  And afraid of my first grade teacher.  

Most of all, I was afraid of failing. Consequently I rarely took chances or stepped outside of my comfort zone.
Times have changed. I am all grown up now and I relish the occasional challenge in my life.  You might say I actually live for the thrill and adventure of discovering something new.  And these days, I'm not afraid of the occasional stumble.  Falling, well that's a given when you embark on a new journey. 

But you learn to pick yourself up and try again. Practice makes perfect after all.

Since becoming a bona fide grownup I have taken on various challenges and faced many of my fears head on. 
For instance, I climbed the historic Elba fire tower and quelled the fluttering nervous feelings in my stomach when I stood atop the lofty giant that soars 110' over the bluffs of eastern Minnesota. And what a panoramic view that was!  The painstaking climb up the hundreds of steps and feelings of anxiety I experienced at the top were definitely worth the effort once I got there.

I took to the ice skating rink a few years back at my son's encouragement, wearing the skates that my feet hadn't slipped into for more than 25 years. I had a wonderful time gliding around that icy arena.  Fell down.  Broke my arm.  No regrets.

When my other son encouraged me to learn to ride a motorcycle, I willingly took the 3-day rider's course with him and passed with flying colors.  Not, I'll mention, before tipping over the bike I was riding in training and spraining my left ankle.  And spending most of the weekend drenched in chilly, driving rain while we practiced the maneuvers in the field only made us more determined, I contend.  And now riding motorcycle is something I thoroughly enjoy.

When recently presented the opportunity to try my hand at downhill skiing, I gave it a few thoughtful moments of consideration.  Should I strap on a couple planks of fiberglass that had been waxed for speed, and attempt what I have always considered to be complete insanity? Well of course I did!

Actually for me the biggest challenge in learning to snow ski was mastering the chair lift mount and dismount.  And the nifty conveyor belt contraption that transported the skiers up the hill.  

The most important lesson I learned from my wonderful instructor, Kathy, who by the way had at least 10 years on me and was a fantastic skier, was the proper way to get up after a fall.  
I tried out that new knowledge a couple times in the course of the day but in the end, I made it down the slope not only once but at least seven more times.  And no broken bones or sprains I can happily report!

So, no fear, or at least nothing obviously evident to outsiders, seems to be my mantra now that I have grown out of that scared little girl of my childhood. The trick is to heed those insecurities....and then snuff them out.

Knowing that you are much stronger than the notion that a little trepidation will stop you from succeeding is a powerful tool.

I look forward to more challenges and adventures in my life such as sail boating on the big waters, or hot air ballooning, or scuba diving or driving a race car, or driving a big rig. 

Yet there are still a few things on my list that I probably won't be attempting anytime soon: bungee jumping, sky diving or cliff climbing....then again, maybe someday?  Who knows.