Rock climbing is one of the most breathtaking experiences you can ever have: mountains covered with snow, crisp air, cool wind, and that fantastic feeling when you finally reach the top. It’s not so marvelous when you have a fear of heights, though.
But, as Neil Gaiman once said, “whatever it is you’re scared of doing, do it.” Fighting your fears can make you stronger and can help you feel like everything is possible. Moreover, a fear of heights is natural (it evolved as a self-preservation strategy), but many people successfully overcome it. You can do it, too! To be more confident, check this article – and you’ll be ready to literally climb every mountain – even the ever-so-challenging Mount Toubkal in Morocco.
Seems daunting? You can overcome your fear of heights by taking one small step at a time and by learning to control the way you feel.
Get Familiar with Your Fear
The best way to overcome your fear is first to understand it. How does it show up (irrational thoughts, pain in the stomach, and so on), and, more importantly, why do you experience it?
For example, if you’re afraid of flying, what would happen if you don’t get on the plane? For some people, this might be a problem (maybe you’re going on a business trip), and others are terrified of heights so they don’t want to travel at all. It may help you understand how this fear affects your life and why it exists in the first place. It doesn’t matter if that reason no longer applies – just unpacking those fears takes you one step closer to overcoming them.
Set Realistic Goals
Rock-climbing is a great metaphor for overcoming your fear because it shows how slow changes, no matter how small, can make a dramatic impact. Even just standing on top of that climbing wall is a huge deal for people who’ve been terrified of heights their whole life! But remember: tiny steps are what works. Don’t set up lofty goals right away – instead, start with smaller ones that seem doable in order to gain more confidence that you can handle these situations in the future.
Setting realistic goals will help you stay in control – you don’t want to be overwhelmed by the situation or feel too pressured to cope with unfulfilled expectations. That wouldn’t be good for anyone!
Practice the Fear-Reduction Techniques You Learn
The more you work on the subject, the easier it becomes to deal with the fear. That’s why it’s important to focus on the causes of your fear as well as on coping mechanisms you can use to overcome it. Below is a list of techniques that can help you cope with your fears:
For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy takes a more systematic approach and suggests it may be possible to change the way you feel by changing your perception of potentially threatening situations. When facing your fear, try to think about what triggers these feelings and see them in a different way – maybe they’re not as terrifying as you thought? Maybe they’re just plain silly?
It may seem awkward at first, but try talking to others about the causes of your fear and see things from their perspective. That may help you see life from a different angle – one where things aren’t so scary anymore. Also, keep in mind that personal experience is one of the best teachers – it’ll help you put everything into perspective and realize that, for example, falling from a height or losing control of your body isn’t as terrible as it seems.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy may be helpful in overcoming your fear by changing your mindset – instead of fearing something specific that can cause an irrational emotional reaction (you might feel panicked), try seeing these things as “challenges in life” rather than fear-inducing threats. Ultimately, every single one of us has some sort of fear – we just need to learn how to handle them!
Accept Your Fears
You don’t necessarily need to get rid of the fears – you need to understand them. We all have fears, even if some people are better at fighting them than others. Accepting this fact helps us learn how to accept ourselves for who we are – both our strengths and weaknesses – and get comfortable as we are right now!
Additionally, the fact that you recognize and understand your fears will help you overcome them. Once accepted, they will gradually turn from overwhelming specters that loom over your every action to simple chemical reactions in your brain that can be stifled with the right amount of preparation and self-belief.
Final Thoughts
Knowing where your fears come from is a crucial step toward overcoming them. If you have your mindset on rock climbing, your fear of heights shouldn’t stand in the way of making your dream come true. Fortunately, there are many strategies that can help you overcome it. With effort and determination, you’ll reach the top in no time.
Additionally, you can talk to other people to get a second opinion regarding your issue. Ask fellow rock-climbing enthusiasts about their experiences. Maybe they can relate to your problem? If you manage to find people who have overcome similar challenges, they will be able to tell you about their personal experiences and give invaluable advice on how they’ve done it. After all, it’s always easier to deal with difficult things with the support of others. You don’t have to go through it alone!
