What I Learned About FEAR While Zip Lining in New Zealand
FEAR. It’s the four-letter word we rarely talk about, yet it quietly shapes so many of our decisions—often without us even realizing it.
For me, fear came roaring to the surface in a snow-dusted mountain range in New Zealand. ❄️ I was about to zip line across a canyon—an adventure we had booked weeks earlier. But that morning, everything in me screamed to back out.
The snow from the night before made everything feel more intense. And so did the voice inside my head:
“Just stay back and cheer from the sidelines.”
“Be the supportive Mum or Aunty. That’s enough, isn’t it?”
But the self-talk didn’t stop there. It got darker:
“What if the line snaps?”
“What if I hit a tree?”
“What if I’m the only one too scared to go?”
That’s what FEAR does. It spirals. It takes you out of the present moment and traps you in imagined disasters.
💡 But then something shifted.
A little girl, no more than 10, stepped up to the first zip line with absolute joy. Her parents clapped and cheered. She radiated excitement. No fear. Just courage.
In that moment, something clicked in me.
“Be like her,” I told myself. “Be excited. Be bold. Be a little girl again.”
And so, I went.
The Zip Line Journey: From Fear to Freedom
Line 1: 😰 Torture. I was nauseous. My hands were shaking. I was completely in my head.
Line 2: 😳 F%&$ it! I opened my eyes, laughed through the fear, and embraced the wild.
Line 3: 😱 I went backwards—on purpose.
Line 4: 🏃♀️ A running leap into the freezing air. My fingers were numb, but my soul was on fire.
And guess what?
None of the things I feared came true. Not one.
If I had let fear win, I would’ve stood on the sidelines of my own life. Again. But this time, I didn’t. I jumped. And it changed something deep within me.
🎯 Lesson learned:
FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real
Understanding FEAR
Fear is a built-in survival mechanism. It triggers your fight, flight, or freeze response to keep you safe.
But fear isn’t always based on real danger. More often, it’s based on old programming, limiting beliefs, or imagined outcomes.
Let’s break it down:
🧠 Physical Fear – like real danger on the road or a wild animal
💔 Emotional Fear – like heartbreak, rejection, or failure
🌀 Psychological Fear – like self-doubt, imposter syndrome, or fear of the unknown
The worst part? We often believe these fears more than we believe in ourselves.
How to Reframe FEAR Into Your Superpower
Fear isn’t your enemy. It can be your greatest teacher and guide—if you learn how to work with it.
Here’s how I now handle fear:
🔹 Acknowledge it – Name the fear. Saying it out loud robs it of its power.
🔹 Reframe it – Ask: “What is this fear teaching me?” “Where am I growing?”
🔹 Visualize success – See yourself already on the other side, laughing, celebrating.
🔹 Take micro-steps – Courage doesn’t require a leap. It grows one step at a time.
🔹 Use the adrenaline – That energy in your chest? Use it. Channel it.
🔹 Talk it out – Call a mentor, coach, or friend who believes in you.
Journaling Through Fear
One of the tools that’s helped me the most is journaling. ✍️
I don’t always understand my fear in the moment, but when I write it down, it becomes clearer. I can track what triggered it, how I overcame it, and how far I’ve come.
Journaling becomes a map—a rearview mirror, not for dwelling, but for glancing back and realising:
“I’ve grown. I made it. I’m braver than I was.”
It’s a way to see your progress in black and white. Fear doesn’t look so scary on paper—and often, it disappears once it’s been written down.
A Message to Anyone Letting Fear Run the Show
If you’re standing at the edge of something scary right now, this is your sign:
🚫 Don’t let fear be the reason you sit it out.
🟡 Don’t stay on the sidelines of your own life.
✅ Jump. Take the leap. Trust yourself. You’ve got this.
Because on the other side of fear?
💥 Growth
💥 Freedom
💥 Stories you’ll never forget
“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t feel fear. It means you do it anyway.” — Unknown
Join the Conversation
💬 What’s one fear you’ve overcome that changed everything for you?
Come share your story on Facebook — let’s turn fear into fuel, together.
