Overcoming Fears and Fears alike....

I've been home for a week now, and I feel like I can never catch a rest! From the moment I walked through the door I've been doing something. Anyway...

Most everyone knew that my job was sending me to Ohio for 4 days with 2 other managers to pick out jewelry for our new store. An amazing opportunity for anybody, and I felt so lucky to have been someone who was able to go. The catch? I had to get on a plane. Now, I haven't flown in 8 years, partly because I haven't had to, and partly because I'm terrified to do so. I catch alot of crap for it, and I'm not entirely sure what it is exactly that terrifies me. I think it boils down to the fact that you're 40,000 feet in the air with no control over your life should something happen. So last Monday was the big day to face my fear for the first time in 8 years. It didn't help that I got sick over the weekend, so I was majorly congested and felt like ass.

We were at the airport at 4:30 a.m....and I had support from more people that I knew. As Doug was routing me on from the car, everyone in the airport was so nice. From statistics, to how many armed marshals are on each flight, nothing was helping my anxiety. So when it came time to board the plane, which I have to point out this was a TINY commuter jet that held 30 ppl max. I hyperventilated, and almost passed out. The flight attendant kicked me off the plane (in a really nice way) and my boss promptly pushed me back on the plane (nicely) and we re-arranged seating order so that he could sit next to me. So I survived the 1.5 hour flight to Cleveland. I have never been so excited to be on the ground. Our trip was fun, and I learned alot about my job, and jewerly. So you'd think that since I flew there, I'd be fine coming home? HAHA~! I drank a couple double's in the airport which I have to say were to expensive, and I swear they weren't doubles!! Unless my anxiety was that bad. None the less, I only cried during take off and landing and didn't hyperventilate mid flight like I did on the way there. There was a guy across the aisle who could see my fear and pretty much talked me through the landing. Apparently he was a fellow commuter. I was almost embarrassed because in all reality it was a pretty smooth flight that had a perfect landing. Sure we hit some bumps going through the clouds, but for being such a small plane it wasn't bad.

In the end, I'm proud of myself for facing my fear, trying to overcome it the best I know how, and looking back, I know I'll have to get on a plane in the future..maybe next time will be better...