“I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.” ~ Lucille Ball
As I backpacked through Australia by myself, I came across many obstacles and fears. I’d like to share how I chose to handle these situations.
I didn’t want to let the fears prevent me from enjoying my time in Australia, so I decided to take on some of the fears instead of letting them rule me.
Here is one thing I did. I have a fear of heights. I don’t like them. In Cairns, in order to go to a beautiful waterfall, I had to jump from a high rock. All my friends jumped but one. He stayed with me because he knew I was scared. Should I chicken out??? He said he would stay with me. No…It would be a regret if I didn’t go for it. So this was my strategy. I told him to jump and leave me alone. If he stayed, I would be a chicken, but if he jumped then it was between me and me. He jumped and then I really got scared because I put myself on the line. Well…what can I say…I jumped! I made it to the waterfall. All my friends were waiting for me. I appreciated their support. The waterfall was gorgeous! I am the one who took the leap and didn’t give in to the fear. I went for it!
I’m also afraid of needles, but I’ve always wanted a tattoo, so with the encouragement of a couple of friends, I found a great cheap place in Darwin. I decided to tattoo “Faith” as it has special meaning to me.
I can’t believe it, but despite my fear, I did it!
I don’t regret any of the situations that scared me. I’m glad that I faced the fears. I feel it made me that much stronger. A message to everyone...no regrets!
Holly
Hi Holly,
I loved your story. I could imagine you standing there, on the edge of the waterfall, shaking with fear. But what a big leap you made, of faith and courage. I expect you will remember this the next time you face a similar feeling of fear.
Around the same time of life, I also travelled through Australia. In fact, I lived there for a year. I then went on to travel in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong. I encountered many fears (including bed bugs!!) but I learned so much about people, cultures, food, travel, and of course myself. A few times I made some lousy decisions (like trusting the guy selling me a ticket for the bus that it really was air conditioned, like it said on the poster….when in fact it wasn’t….not fun for 10 hour bus ride) but I survived.
Some of my best memories come from that time of my life. I often hear myself telling stories from the experiences I had. They really shaped who I am today. I expect they will for you too. So keep on facing your fears, and enjoying your adventures.
Thank you for your contributions to Bev’s web page – they are a good reminder 🙂
Sarah
Sarah – Thank you so much for your words of encouragement. I really appreciate them and thank you for sharing your experiences with me. Much appreciated.
Holly