Fear is a natural part of life

We all have fears, especially in today’s world—fear of the future, fear of the unknown, fear of another pandemic, fear of failure, fear of death. There are fears all around us. Our job is to not let our fears paralyze us or dictate our day-to-day actions and behavior.

When we can learn to overcome fear, we can live a more fulfilled and happy life.

Let me give you an example from my own life.

Our Adventure in Peru

In June of 2019, I had the opportunity to travel to Peru with my husband and our oldest son, Jacob.

In addition to hiking the Inca Trail and visiting Machu Picchu (which is an adventure I will definitely share sometime), we also visited Urubamba, Peru. While we were there, we stayed at a place called the Sky Lodge.

The Sky Lodge isn’t really a lodge in the sense that most people would think. Instead, it’s a few glass pods hanging off the side of a mountain, 1200 feet straight up.

When we left Machu Picchu, we took the train through the valley and actually saw the pods suspended from the side of the mountain. To be honest, it looked terrifying as we passed by. The pods were so high up and suspended in the air. But it was also very exciting to think it was where we would be sleeping for the night.

Facing our fears requires courage and commitment

My husband is quite afraid of heights, so I didn’t tell him all the details on how we were going to get there. But obviously, we had to get up to the pods, and then we had to get back down again.

I knew that if I told my husband our stay would include a 400-meter hike up and a zip line back down, he would not believe in himself. But once we were there, I was amazed at his ability to commit to the experience. He was all in.

My husband is six foot five, and despite his fears, it was amazing to see him lean into this experience and face his fears with courage and commitment. Our guide told him exactly where to place his feet and where to clip his line. With one foot in front of the other, we made it to our destination.

Once we got there, it was breathtaking. The view of the valley below was unbelievable. They cooked us a gourmet dinner in their kitchen pod and then we had to climb down to the pod where we were sleeping.

The pod included comfortable beds and there was even a bathroom, which I was grateful for because I couldn’t even imagine having to climb out of the pod each time I needed to use the restroom. 

Sleeping in a glass pod on the side of the mountain was an experience I will never forget. The views of the valley below and the stars above will forever be engraved in my mind. It was as if we were being cradled by the sky itself.

It was certainly a once in a lifetime kind of experience

But the best part about that experience for me wasn’t the view or the food or the zipline back down the mountain.

The best part for me was experiencing this incredible adventure with my husband. I witnessed first-hand the joy that can come when you face your fears and fully commit to something that truly scares you. It was a really powerful moment. It taught me the resilience and courage of the human spirit.

Fear is a part of life that we all have to face

I guarantee you will face challenges in your life that will scare you. When those fearful moments come, you will have to make a choice—you can quit and walk away, or you can face your fear and rise up to the occasion. I promise you that only one of those choices will give you an incredible view from the top.