What Are You Afraid Of?

I had an interesting experience several months ago. I suddenly became unable to park my car in my garage! I’ve lived in this house over four years, and each day I have parked a variety of vehicles in the left side of the garage without incident. Yet after changing to a new vehicle in October, I suddenly found it difficult to pull into the garage successfully. First I would go too far to the left, then back up, and end up going too far to the right. I began having significant anxiety whenever I had to park my car in the garage, which didn’t make the task any easier. Finally, one day I sat in my vehicle outside the garage and asked myself, “What’s the problem?” It occurred to me that I was afraid of hitting my husband’s vehicle, which was parked on the right side of the garage. It’s a very large, full-sized vehicle, and the car I was newly driving was wider than the ones I had driven before.

Fear was causing me to make mistakes with a skill that I had practiced successfully for many years. Fear was causing me to doubt myself and my abilities. Fear was coming close to shutting me down and causing me to admit defeat. Fear was making me overlook the abilities that I have that could help me achieve success.

Focusing on the abilities that have helped me park my vehicle in the garage successfully for many years, I

decided that a deliberate strategy could be used to help me overcome my anxiety. For the next few days, I paid close attention to my driving techniques and my emotions as I approached the entrance of the garage. I was surprised to discover that during all the years that I had parked successfully on the left side of the garage, I had looked at my left mirror and the left garage door frame as I entered the garage. When I got the different vehicle and had to park next to my husband’s large vehicle, I began looking to the right at his truck instead. That changed my perspective, my focus, my emotions, and my ability to be successful at this basic skill that I had practiced for years!

The solution? I coached myself to stay calm, and to begin focusing again on the left side of the garage, just as I had for many years. Surprisingly, when I did that, I was able to park my car quickly and successfully, just like old times! (If you’d like to share your strategies for managing anxiety, please email us, or comment on our blog or Facebook page).

How often does fear mess with our ability to be successful? I’m guessing that it happens more than we realize, just as it took me some time to realize that fear was the root of my temporary inability to park my car in my garage. Everyone deals with fear at one time or another. Some people deal with significant, debilitating anxiety, and may need medications and/or more intensive therapy to manage it effectively. Fear is a natural part of our human experience, but it’s important to have strategies to manage it so that it does not control our lives. (See below and watch Facebook this week for suggested resources that can help!)

Best wishes as you continue to balance healthy anxiety with strategies for keeping fear from negatively impacting your ability to be successful!