Challenge #4- One Step at a Time

Do you have your lists ready? You know, the ones we made during Challenge #3 where we listed our fears- Big and Small?

You need the lists for this. I'll wait.

Ok, we're all ready now.

I want you to pick one fear off of each list and circle it.  

Pick the one that you most want to conquer right now. Pick one that you're ready to be done with.  

The one that just needs to end. Not next week, not tomorrow- right now.

Circle it in red if it makes you feel better.

Now, let me tell you a little story.

When Katie (oldest child of mine) was 8 years old she was terrified of escalators.  I'm not saying that she was hesitant or a little nervous.  She had a full-on panic attack at the top of the escalator at JCPenney.  I lost it. (not my proudest parenting moment)  

I could not get that kid to move.  Every bit of pressure I put on her made it worse.  

Side note: it's one of those days that I wish I could go back and do differently.  I know better now.

We realized that this couldn't go on.  So we decided to conquer her fear together.

We went to her favorite store, Barnes & Noble, where the up & down escalators are side by side and we made a deal.  If she could go up & down by herself I'd buy her Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (she was right in the middle of the series & desperately wanted that big thick book)

First, she stood between me & Mandy (little sis, not afraid of escalators) and we all rode down on the same step holding hands.  We only had to ask her once to stop breaking the bones in our hands.

When that felt good, we rode down on the same step but did not hold hands.

When that was easy, we all rode down together on separate steps.

Up & down we went.

Then Mandy waited at the bottom while I rode with Katie.

Then I waited at the bottom while Katie & Mandy rode together.

Finally the big moment arrived.

Mandy & I waited at the bottom while Katie rode up and came back down to us.

I think she still treasures that book- she worked so hard to get it.

(By the way, you are right if you are imagining that we were at Barnes & Noble for quite a long time.  If anyone thought we were lunatics, they were kind enough not to say so.)

But this story doesn't end there.  A few months later our family traveled to the Pittsburgh Zoo.  

When you enter the zoo, the first thing you have to do is ride up the biggest escalator I have ever seen.   

No joke friends, it goes straight up.

Katie looked over her shoulder at me with a big grin and said, 

"Good thing I'm not scared of escalators anymore, huh?"

So, here's your challenge.

Decide on the first step toward conquering one of your fears.

Are you afraid of spiders?  Step one might be to check out a book on spiders from the library and study the pictures. (even while they freak you out)

Have you always wanted to run a 5K, but you're afraid that you're "just not an athlete"?  

Step one might be to find an event 3 months from now and sign up.

Are you afraid that you're not a good mom?

Step one might be to simply write down a definition of what "good mom" even means to you.

Now do it.  Then come back & tell me about it.  I can't wait.