Out of the Box with Hanna #2

Remember when you had that irrational sharks-in-the-swimming-pool fear? Well, after having that fear for a little too long, I have dwindled it down to only fearing bonafide sharks in the ocean. So, when I went to a warm place over Christmas break and my family booked a kiteboarding lesson, my hands started sweating and my heart started racing.

I could’ve let this prohibit me from potentially having an extremely fun time, but instead I decided to test the Christmas spirit of the Caribbean sharks by dismissing my fear the best I could. I love all things aquatic, so I was having the time of my life as we sped out in the dinghy about a mile from the dock. My hair was starting to get that salty-wavy look and the ocean spray was dusting my smiling face; it was all fun and games until we arrived at the designated area.

Looking over the side of the boat and glaring straight through the piercing teal water to the bottom was enough to make me consider whether or not I had said all of my “I Love You’s.”

Being the fearless leader I usually am, I volunteered to go first. However, after I was completely equipped with kiteboarding gear and all I had to do was jump into the ocean, I felt my phobia sink to my feet and render my legs immobile. I simply could not throw myself into an unknown abyss possibly infested with 10-foot apex predators with daggers for teeth. So, I did what any scared kid would do: make my mom go first.

She took it like a pro. She plunged into the water without a hint of hesitation and learned the sport in half an hour. Then it was my turn. The encouragement that I needed came from the instructor who put the situation into perspective: he detailed how he has had to swim miles back to the dock hundreds of times when the wind diminishes while he is out kiteboarding. I thought, “If this man is standing here talking to me and not in some shark’s digestive system, there’s no way I am going to get eaten today.”

I took the leap, which felt like hours long, into the water and instantly felt my legs tingle as if they were preparing to be chomped by an aquatic juggernaut. I was quickly distracted by the instruction of the kiteboarder, allowing me to be completely consumed in the task at hand. I ended up understanding the technique very efficiently and before I knew it, I was freely gliding along the surface for minutes-straight. I had found a brand-new, untested sport that gave me a surge of exhilaration and liberation from being effortlessly propelled into the air, comparable to nothing. When we returned to the dock, another instructor who had heard about my fear amusedly asked how it went, expecting to hear about how nervous I was and how I could only last a couple of minutes. However, I grinned back and replied, “You’ll see me tomorrow!”

Even though I had crushed my inhibitions for just a few hours, I gained the experience of a lifetime, proving to myself and hopefully to you, the reader, that life happens the moment you step out of your comfort zone. So, I hope that the moment you feel yourself being held back by your own self-set, mental limitations, you convert this to fuel your progression as both a person and learner.