It was his first day of the big thrill rides. He was juuust over 48 inches tall. Thus, as he looked around, he couldn’t see lots of kids his size going on the big rides. He was THE smallest one. He looked at me.
Me: what’s up, buddy?
E: I’m kinda shy.
Me: shy?
E: yeah, like a little nervous.
Me: ah. That’ll usually build until you go down the first hill; then it’s over. Plus, we don’t have to go now. We can go to the water park now.
E: no, it’s ok. I’ll ride now. I’m getting over it.
“I’m getting over it,” he said. Apprehension for the unknown, the perceived threat, the imagined fear - at 7 years old, he’s getting over it. I marveled at him. And the nervousness never grew. That was the peak. He really did get over it even before getting on any of the big rides.
Imagine that. Imagine if you were getting over your emotional baggage, if the threats of the future or the scars of the past didn’t drive your psychological state, your healthy behaviors or lack thereof, your decision-making. Self-sabotage would evaporate. Challenges would be only what they literally are and not a modicum more.
If only imagining, imagine it. Imagine getting over it. Imagine reframing it in order to get over it. Sometimes it’s just a matter of stepping forward, moving on, letting go, forgiving, forgetting, starting a new chapter, closing old ones, quitting punishing yourself with repeatedly dredging up pain which might have never been as bad as you thought. Sometimes it’s not so simple. But think of it as a skill which you can train, practice, improve: getting over it.
Me: what’s up, buddy?
E: I’m kinda shy.
Me: shy?
E: yeah, like a little nervous.
Me: ah. That’ll usually build until you go down the first hill; then it’s over. Plus, we don’t have to go now. We can go to the water park now.
E: no, it’s ok. I’ll ride now. I’m getting over it.
“I’m getting over it,” he said. Apprehension for the unknown, the perceived threat, the imagined fear - at 7 years old, he’s getting over it. I marveled at him. And the nervousness never grew. That was the peak. He really did get over it even before getting on any of the big rides.
Imagine that. Imagine if you were getting over your emotional baggage, if the threats of the future or the scars of the past didn’t drive your psychological state, your healthy behaviors or lack thereof, your decision-making. Self-sabotage would evaporate. Challenges would be only what they literally are and not a modicum more.
If only imagining, imagine it. Imagine getting over it. Imagine reframing it in order to get over it. Sometimes it’s just a matter of stepping forward, moving on, letting go, forgiving, forgetting, starting a new chapter, closing old ones, quitting punishing yourself with repeatedly dredging up pain which might have never been as bad as you thought. Sometimes it’s not so simple. But think of it as a skill which you can train, practice, improve: getting over it.