Oprah had a show today on getting out of your box. Boy, oh, boy! Have I done that. On high cliff roads. High wires. High hopes. I plan to do more but not before I regroup and feed spiritually on my Los Angeles life; still my home. And lately, quite beautiful with clear skies and mild temps.
Oprah's show got me thinking about where I've been, and where I may go next.
As you may know, a
couple of years ago, tired of complaining about Los Angeles smog and
traffic, I decided to seek clean air, beauty, and a sustainable life. I hit the road and started this clean air blog, hoping
people would share areas to breathe and live well, and I'd do the same.
At
the time, I had no idea this would bring up phobia issues.
And courage. :-)
Where I once
was afraid to drive solo from L.A. to San Francisco, as many of you also know, I just returned
from a round-trip solo drive from Los Angeles to Canada where I reviewed
clean air areas and participated in "crazy" adventures. (But I figured
what's crazier than breathing gray air?)
As it turned out, I've learned that clean air occurs mostly in remote areas where locals come up with crazy ideas for tourists.
Ziplining, grizzly bear watching, and
kayaking near killer whales require signing liability forms. Just
in case of accident or death.
With nothing to lose, except my life, I said "yes!" to anything offered.
As a result, I'm more
confident and have enjoyed thrilling experiences.
I'm considering
kayaking near Manitoba, Canada next summer amongst Beluga Whales. Yes,
I'm scared.
If you have thrilling, beautiful experiences to suggest for 2010, please do.
To put my adventures in perspective, I am the owner of books Feel
The Fear and Do It Anyway, and The Panic Attack, Phobias and Anxiety
Solutions Handbook. I'm no natural at adventure.
But I found that
pushing myself, made me more confident.
I also take thyroid medication,
and when I'm under or over-medicated it can cause anxiety. My history includes running out
of shopping malls and almost passing up graduate school because I got
anxiety just thinking about being trapped in a classroom. I still have
anxieties, including driving on high cliff roads, which came up on my
recent drive from Victoria, B.C. to Los Angeles.
Nonetheless, I mostly
enjoy overcoming fears and turning them into power. I look
forward to more adventures in clean air locations, and becoming a
better, BOLDER, more interesting human BEing! DOing! LIVing!
Ahhhh!!
Suggestions welcomed.
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