By Mary
‘Trust the process’, I like telling myself and friends; but do I really believe this? I like outdoor adventures, and I had heard of the famous high ropes challenge from the ANLP alumni. I knew it would push my boundaries and with excitement, I was looking forward to experiencing it. However, when I got to the first track with the hanging logs, I could feel my excitement sort of taking a back seat. Another feeling was taking over. I was afraid. But why? Clearly, the whole structure was designed for this activity, I had a harness well fitted on me with ropes and carabiners that attached me to the cables above for my safety. Johan gave me very clear instructions on how to support myself with the cables on the side. I am wondering why was I so afraid that my feet were trembling uncontrollably to the extent that the logs were swaying from side to side?
Many are times in my life when I found myself in similar situations. Challenging opportunities or situations come up, presenting a chance to grow in character or skill. However, because growth involves going out of my comfort zone and can be scary, I hesitate and allow fear to take over. What’s even worse is that because of the fear, I overlook the fact that the opportunity comes with a well-designed structure or system designed to help me make it through the process. If I can just take a few minutes to assess the situation, that helps me to realize I can face the challenge and grow.
So, with feet on two swinging logs, ten meters above the ground, I decided to pause, calm down, steady my feet and trust the process and off I went, one step at a time.
