I donned the climbing harness and listened to the instructions of 1st mate Tamsin, watched trainees braver than me climbing up the ratlines, remaining undecided whether or not I should have a go.
Eventually, last in line, encouraged by friends and with shaky legs, I clipped onto the red safety line and stepped up (literally and metaphorically).
Now, I love it. I climb to work on the yards and climb to the top for the view. I even work on ladders. I overcame my half-century old fear of heights on the tall ship Pelican of London.
In my mind’s eye:
I never challenged what I accepted as my fear of heights until a friend told me that it was in fact my fear of falling. This simple truth could have solved the issue for me ages ago, had I realised it. Such a small, but important difference in my perception!
Never too late:
I continue to look out for other unhelpful perceptions that are embedded in language or societal conditioning. It’s quite astonishing how many there are and it’s good to know how flexible the mind is and how much it enjoys a challenge 😊
