I’m trying to take my daughter’s advice. Six months ago when I went to France she told me to heed Eleanor Roosevelt’s advice: “Do something you are afraid to do every day.”
On that trip, I went to a topless beach (and remained “topfull”, but wore a bikini for the first time ever) and spoke terrible French to any passerby who was kind enough to indulge me.
Recently, I went indoor skydiving at iFLY and drove a snowmobile for the first time ever on a glacier in Iceland.
Those things still sound scary to me, so I get what Eleanor means. I had a rush of pride when I accomplished those things. But my day-to-day list of scary things, can be tame.
- Calling people for money
- Going door-to-door for anything
- Trying on bathing suits
- Driving into the “Big City” to a place I’ve never been (just made my hubby take me last Tuesday!)
- Getting a whole new hairstyle
- Eating bugs…on purpose
- Riding a motorcycle (nope never did it…may have to do with a terrible accident from law school)
- Riding a bike in traffic
- Using power tools
- Posting harsh political points of view on the Interwebs
- Snapchat
On the one hand, based on this list, I could do something scary every single day. On the other hand, I’ve done all those things except the motorcycle (I did do a moped on an island once and cried the entire time I was driving, does that count?) but they still scare me.
I’m not quite sure what Eleanor is trying to tell me. Perhaps I need to contact her through a medium, like Theresa Caputo. But that’s too scary.
Oh, and Eleanor never said that, so I’m off the hook.
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Cathy is the author of Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial Caregiver and
You go, girl! I have no fear of posting harsh political views, as you know (!), but you will not find me doing any scary physical adventure things. I am too old to do things that stress me out!
Well then, dear Lois, I guess we balance each other out!
Some people have a lot of fears and need to face them on a daily basis. I’m not one of those people, I don’t have a lot of fear, but I do try to get out of my comfort zone when I can!
Yes, Tam, I so see from your blog, you are no fear baby! Even breaking down that comfort zone is good. I’m working on that too!
I think it’s totally okay to try something new and be terrified at the same time. I’m afraid of sharks so I’m not scuba diving or doing a lot of snorkeling but I’m okay with that!
OMG…sharks? Who isn’t afraid of sharks? I tried scuba diving once. I got so claustrophobic, never again. But it’s all in the trying,right,Andi?
Good for you! I don’t feel any pull toward doing things I’m afraid of–I do have my own list –nothing that inhibits me living a full life, though–and at this age I feel I deserve to do only what i want to do. Of course, I’m launching a business and have that nagging fear of failure, so yeah, doing something I’m afraid of!
See Carol, fear is everywhere, but you’re still doing it…that’s courage! Yay,you!
You’re lucky. Trying new things doesn’t always work out. In 1982, I listened to a complete Bon Jovi song. The rest, as they say, is massively painful history!
Oh, I’ve never listened to a whole Bon Jovi song, true story. Guess my instincts were correct.
I don’t think posting harsh political points of view is a small or unreasonable fear, at all! But in any case, as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned that doing some scary thins, such as public speaking, are good for you. Others–eating bugs, driving in Chicago–not so much.
Oh, I’m not gonna’ even THINK about driving in Chicago!
Never again.
I would punch out the person who is making you eat bugs, but I’m afraid of confrontations, especially physical ones. 😉
Me too, Kathy…eating is always preferable to punching, even bugs!