There is always a level of uncertainty that we feel when we approach something for the first time. Sometimes we feel uncertain in situations that we have already been in. The thing is that uncertainty is usually a by product of fear. It creeps in when we least expect it and sits in the pit of your stomach. There it rumbles around and makes us aware of the fear that we are feeling. One thing about me is that I have a love/hate relationship with roller coasters. Every time I see one I think that it would be a wonderful experience to go on it and feel the exhilaration of the speed and height as I am hurled along the track. Except, I hate speed and heights. Put them together and that is a cocktail for an experience that I would never enjoy. However, the roller coaster is an enjoyable experience for me. Often it is because I know that I have faced a fear of mine. Granted, I have never become comfortable about going on them but I know that I can. It is this knowing that makes it a better experience.
I bring up uncertainty because every time that I stand in line for the roller coaster I feel that gnawing in the pit of my stomach. I constantly want to turn back. I want to scream as the safety bar descends over me, effectively trapping me on the ride. Yet, I sit there calmly waiting for what I know is the dreaded anticipation and the slow ascent to the top of the track. I know what I am in store for and I still do it. When I am done, I have both enjoyed myself and hated every minute of it and I swear to myself that I will never do it again. Even with that uncertainty, I do ride roller coasters again and again. I still feel the fear, the uncertainty and the terror as I am flung around, forward and upside down. Just because you fear something does not always mean that you should not do it. The uncertainty that we feel is just our minds telling us that we are going into uncharted territories and that we should be cautious. Sometimes forging through the fear and uncertainty creates a bigger reward in the end. Take some time and figure out what you can and cannot handle. When everything is said and done you will find that the things you feared the most are the things that have yielded the best results.
