Fear Play at Lagoon

So last week my partner Annabeth and I went to Lagoon (an amusement park) with our friends Mary and Nick. First of all I love Lagoon, I love the scary rides I love the roller coasters, I love the rides where I get soaked..well you get the point. In recent years when I do these kind of activities I take the opportunity to create transformation through playful physical experiences. I believe we don't get full learning until we get it in our bodies. Basically I've learned to create real inexpensive fun workshops for myself.
For example, there is this ride at Lagoon called the Catapult. Basically you get in a little round cage that's attached to cables which are connected to 2 tall (over 100 feet) poles. The idea is they strap you in and launch you into space about 200 feet. Then you bounce up and down for awhile until you come back to the earth. Big Fun!!! So last year was my first time. It was that time of night when the sky is midnight blue and the stars are really clear. I set an intention that I would get a body experience of launching myself nationally. My intention over the last year has been to start the move towards speaking and coaching on a national level. I've bungee jumped a bunch but never been shot up. I have to say it was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life, going up into the starry night seeing lights and stars not knowing which way is up or down. The only thing I could hear was my own laughter (everyone else chickend out). After the ride I knew I had the sensation of launching in every cell of my body. Over the next weeks and months I attracted amazing opportunities to present and hob nob with international coaches and presenters.
Now cut to this year. I asked my friend Mary if she wanted to go with me. At first she declined and then I told her the story of the previous year..She said oh..well I have a fear I'd like to get through and it feels about the same as when I think of myself on that ride. When she finally started to consider it she got real scared, but being the committed learner she is she chose in.
As we are getting strapped into the contraption I looked over at her lily white face (she has a tan and it was still white.) The man getting us situated was very compassionate. I know Mary likes music so I asked him to sing us a song, however he was very shy about his voice and said no. The waiting is really the hardest part. The cage turns upwards so our backs were to the ground and our faces to the sky. I think this is true in life too, the anticipation is generally way scarier than the actual thing. Any way I digress............R U scared yet?
So we launch up into space and about 20 seconds seconds later I hear Mary laughing and totally letting go. She was having the time of her life. Her fear turned into release and joy. Afterwards we were watching the video of the ride and I could see clearly the moment she went from fear to absolute bliss. Thank you Mary for being so brave, for showing me what the other side of fear really looks like. She reported afterwards feeling totally different in her body and not feeling fear about the prior issue.
So often in my life I've noticed that fear once I've stepped through it transforms itself into passion, confidence, growth or peace. In this way I see fear as my ally. I simply need to walk with it and find creative ways to play with it. As we go to new heights we often get to go through the fear gateway. If you are really afraid about something chances are something better wants to come in, by moving through the fear we create a space for the new. If you're in SLC go check out the catapult. Happy flying.