This week in 1975, the movie Jaws premiered. Spielberg's thriller about a rogue great white shark terrorizing a summer resort town is often regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. It forever changed how many people viewed swimming in the ocean. Being only six years old when the movie hit the big screens, it definitely changed my mind about swimming in ANY body of water, not to mention the ocean.
Fear is a very real and sometimes crippling emotion that typically evokes one of three responses: fight, flight, or freeze. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to choose any of those three options. My dad decided the best way for me to overcome my fear of swimming was to grab me by one wrist and one ankle and throw me off a rock into the deep waters of a creek. Obviously, I made it to shore.
I once heard someone share an acronym for fear that said it stands for "False Expectations Appearing Real." That acronym became my go-to motto as I began to learn how to have a growth-oriented mindset in overcoming fear. Having self-compassion and trust in myself, my equipment, and my people were all keys to overcoming a lot of my fears.
In the military, we never go into training or battle without first checking our equipment,
and we never go alone. The same can be said for diving. I can proudly share that in 2008, I passed my diving certification, thereby overcoming my fear of that mythical mechanical great white shark that terrorized me in the '70s.
Celebrate your victories with us. What fears have you personally overcome?