(photo by Julia Verea on Unsplash)

For people who suffer from anticipatory anxiety, like myself, our comfort zone is our safe space. We love predictability and routine and we hate to feel coerced into trying new things. For me, this is especially true of physical activities that might feel unsafe. A perfect example is zip-lining. My husband recently suggested that we try this on our vacation to Mexico. I initially thought it sounded fun, but when I really considered going, every fiber of my being screamed “Nooooo!” Therefore, we never went, and now I have to live with the what-ifs.

Many people have said that when you get old, you will most regret the things you never tried. Therefore, I know it is important for me to broaden the scope of my activities. Recently retired, I sometimes fear that my age prevents me from certain physical activities, but I know this is just another mental block. I am physically active and perfectly capable of trying new sports.

For those of us living with anxiety, anything that feels overwhelming can be broken down into small incremental steps. I recently learned to play pickleball by asking two trusted friends with experience to teach me and another beginner. We booked a quiet court time when we would not interfere with the more experienced players, so we could go slowly and pause to review rules. Creating a safe space for learning is important, especially if you feel overwhelmed by larger groups. Sometimes a private lesson is worth the extra money. I would like to try paddleboarding next.

I know that many people have fears around learning new technology. I am lucky in this regard because it was part of my job, as a teacher for thirty years, to constantly upgrade my computer skills and try new software. Since retirement, I have taught myself to create this blog and to self-publish four books. It has taken a tremendous amount of time and patience to overcome this very steep learning curve, but for me personally, it has been worth it. However, I am not shy about asking for help through many online forums and tutorials.  

Do you have any fear around trying new things? Do you know any tricks to help overcome this? Please share a comment below.