What are you afraid of (just curious)

I'm terrified of rock climbing which is very unfortunate when you like to hike these days ( there are way too many climb- it or turn back obstacles on the serious trails) 

i think the fear comes from failing to be able to pull myself up when I was heavier.

ive never been very strong in my upper body and was mortified by my fear once climbing with a group in the Adirondacks where house sized glacial boulders are common obstacles . We were trying to hike seven peaks in one day - everyone completed the trail except the crying non- climber who was forced to turn back .  Haven't been back to the Adirondacks since ! 

Oh I hope you will go back! 

I totally understand the feeling of avoiding things.  I am going through that a little right now.  I wrote elsewhere on the forum that I am currently less than two weeks out from a surgery to fix my Achilles tendon.  This is a chronic injury--7 years ago--the lack of activity fro this pushed me from overweight to obese to MO.  I had thought (and been told) that it would not get better.  I had worked with at least 8 different surgeons and worked extensively with at least 8 different physical therapists and done other weird stuff.  I was just thrilled when this recent surgeon said he felt he could help me.  He was kind of my last-effort visit--I tried to find the most expert surgeon I could and had to wait 3 mos for a consult--he is in charge of the foot/ankle program at the medical school/university a little bit away from my home.  So I have great hope for the future I thought I had lost!  I find though, after 7 years, that I naturally think "Oh I will never do that."  It is like I mourned so long the loss of things I wanted to do, then finally mostly accepted those losses through a constant stream of self talk, to where I just assume I cannot do things--it has become an internalized thing.  Now, I realize, that in a year, after recovery from this surgery, I will not be physically so limited, but psychologically, I will have to do a lot of work too--physical therapy for my brain.

xoxo

I totally understand what you're saying Pokemom about facing your fears to conquer them .

But what really scares me about going back to try the Adirondacks  is  I somehow ( shaking) climbed the first two house sized boulders ( with my friends' kind help ) and when I  faced the three story high no handholds no safety net just *****s in the rock to hold onto next one I just couldn't attempt it . 

Then I had to turn back alone because I didn't want to hold the group back ... and I had to climb down alone backwards and blind on those two huge boulders . I literally sat at the feet of one crying until people came along who I figured would get help if I got injured. 

I sound like a huge coward right ? I totally admire you for being so persistent fixing your hurt Achilles' tendon. I'm sure you will come roaring back when you're finally physically able :) 

I can tolerate being in a car going over a suspension bridge, but I can't do the driving. The Mackinac bridge here in Michigan scares the hell out of me. My dad and I when I was a kid damn near got blown of that bridge one day, and a Yugo (I think Yugo) did get blown over. ugh.

No way in hell would I cross one of those rickety-ass bridges. I am not even sure I could walk across a reasonably narrow one with walls that are 4 feet tall made out of sturdy cement.

I don't like hot things by my hands, specifically things on fire.  If you give me a sparkler to hold, I will hold it by the very very end with the very tips of my thumb and forefinger.  I love campfires, but I will never be the one to reach into the fire and push a piece of wood or put another one in.  

Jen

I would just call that common sense :) 

Snakes, birds and heights, in that order!!

Heights, snakes, and swimming in deep/dark water at night (think of the movie Jaws in the scene when the girl was swimming at night).

Nobody mentioned sharks! Sometimes I'll be swimming for exercise in the ocean and then I'll start thinking.. did I feel a change in the current or even something brush against my leg ? Then I'll start looking for fins ! 

The worst part is sharks really do come in to even shallow water and within feet of playing children - I've seen it many times from my parents tenth floor waterfront condo in Florida . So a swimmer like me who is paddling like a sea turtle ( sharks favorite prey) further out really would get a lot of shark attention. 

Luckily most of them just smell but don't bite - but you never know when you'll cross paths with a hungry or old one ... yikes !