Destination Inspiration

January 2009

Fraidey Cats & Worry Warts

By Lisbeth Anne Marín

Motivational Speaker

Professional Development Consultant

When I was just a little girl, my grandmother lived in Brooklyn New York near the Coney Island Cyclone; arguably the most famous roller coaster in America.  Riding it generated an incomparable feeling that I hold as a vivid childhood recollection.

Traveling back in my memory I can conjure-up the sensation I felt as the ascent began.  The gears beneath the car click, click, clicking, signaling progress up the steep incline.  Tensed-up in anticipation...Excitement teetered on terror… breath grew short; body clenched from eyelids to tootsies…peals of nervous laughter bubbling up.  Finally, with a brief pause at the precipice, the decent would begin and I’d succumb to the roaring furor of the ride.  There’s just nothing that compares to that feeling!

The tug of fear would have started while on line and if you showed any sign of reluctance or worse…got off the line, the older kids would taunt you, chanting ‘Yellow Belly, Worry Wart, Fraidey Cat!”  I’d struggle to harness my bravada the entire time on line, all the while fighting the tug to cut and run.  I must tell you folks; this was a serious roller coaster for a precocious Long Island girl in the 1950’s.  …I’ll bet Cyclone stills holds it’s own against the frightful rides today’s coasters boast.

I wonder what gets your knees to shaking.  Is it something unexpected that truly warrants wide eyed wonder or has this become your predictable reaction?  Does worry or fear monopolize your response to every routine challenge or normal obstacle? 

If you allow it, distorted forethought will spook you from getting in line for all things important, be that starting a business, ending a bad relationship, rethinking your chosen career or facing anything new.  Fear and worry are the culprits that sabotage your ability to get on line for all life has to offer, y’know…the Good, the Bad and definitely the Ugly.  See, once fear or worry start making your decisions, you’ll avoid all rides and insulate yourself from experiencing a genuine way of life.  It’s an unrealistic goal to steer clear of the unpleasant or shrink away from risk.  Fact is, the one thing you can count on is that sometimes, stuff goes wrong…it just does. 

You’ve got to put on the armor of God and trust that you will persevere.  Don’t suppose or what if yourself out of an exhilarating ascent, projecting fear and worry about a plummet that might show up, after all…it might not!  It’s so easy to form a crippling habit of being mired in unfounded fear or worry about failure.  It’s been my experience that success hinges on your ability to embrace an “I know I’ll get though this” philosophy.  Sure, you can imprison yourself in an artificial cocoon of safety by never hazarding a gamble but what fun is that?!.  There’s really no getting around it…you’ll never venture onto the ride of your life if you’re a yellow bellied fraidey cat.

Chances are …just around the bend is another teeth sucking turn.  Deciding whether it will be a wonderful trip or a miserable journey is all about your attitude.  A fundamental principle of life is that you must develop the forte to face those pesky ups and downs of the ride. 

Seek the guts to boldly get in line and have the faith to trust that you can and will get through it.  Don’t allow the enemy to whisper lies into your heart.  Strap yourself in, throw your hands up in the air and get geared-up to bank that next careening curve.