I found myself in the odd position on Friday at work of dealing with several co-workers who were highly anxious about flying. We are all required to travel
from Austin to Houston for work this next week and I elected to catch a flight over on Southwest. When my colleagues found out that my plan was to fly and I
wanted them to go along, they alarmingly said to me: "You're flying over? Why?! It is just as easy to drive and about the same time?"
I told 'em : "First of all, I hate Houston traffic. Second, why not let someone else do the driving plus you get a very cool view of the weather (I'm a weather geek!) and the world from an airplane?"
After several minutes of conversation, I broke it down with them to learn they were very nervous about flying and hated doing it. I couldn't help but laugh to myself. I recognized their lines and stilted logic because that was me for 18 years before I did SOAR two summers ago and regained my freedom. Of course, that dialogue also gave me a chance to put a plug in for the course with them. At the end of the day, a person simply has to make the willful decision to face and overcome the fear or continue to allow it to paralyze you.
I'm not posting this to pat myself on the back ... it is more a funny self-realization out of amazement and irony that I was in that position with my co-workers. Three years ago, I would have thought such a thing to be fantasy ... I keep saying, if I can do it, ANYONE can. Call it an encouragement to those of you out there who still might be on the fence, feeling stuck and with little hope.
I told 'em : "First of all, I hate Houston traffic. Second, why not let someone else do the driving plus you get a very cool view of the weather (I'm a weather geek!) and the world from an airplane?"
After several minutes of conversation, I broke it down with them to learn they were very nervous about flying and hated doing it. I couldn't help but laugh to myself. I recognized their lines and stilted logic because that was me for 18 years before I did SOAR two summers ago and regained my freedom. Of course, that dialogue also gave me a chance to put a plug in for the course with them. At the end of the day, a person simply has to make the willful decision to face and overcome the fear or continue to allow it to paralyze you.
I'm not posting this to pat myself on the back ... it is more a funny self-realization out of amazement and irony that I was in that position with my co-workers. Three years ago, I would have thought such a thing to be fantasy ... I keep saying, if I can do it, ANYONE can. Call it an encouragement to those of you out there who still might be on the fence, feeling stuck and with little hope.
