What did you think was scary but turned out to be awesome?

Snorkeling in Mexico. I was terrified, equipment questionable and strong currents. But I’m alive and it was exhilerating.

Wait until you ride in an exotic, freaky cool and right on the ground (feels like.)

@KNOWITALL (gulp) I don’t know if I’m ready for that!

@RayaHope! How are you? How did it go in Tampa?

I don’t know if I’d used scary, but:

I was nervous about going away to a very large university, a university a few states away and known to be a party school, and I don’t drink, but I LOVED it.

I was nervous to move by myself to Florida after college, but I LOVED it.

I’ve been nervous every time I buy a house or a car, but it works out ok. As I get older It gets worse actually, I’m more frightened regarding big purchases.

Conversing with women when I was mucho younger.

@JLeslie Hi, I’m okay. A lot of tests and some new medications still waiting for some results but I’m good. :) I think I would LOVE to move to Florida if I could but I would be afraid of the hurricane situation. The weather was amazingly beautiful!
@Brian1946 How are you now? A woman magnet I suppose :)

@RayaHope I hope the new meds are more effective and no side effects. I’m really glad you enjoyed Florida. People seem to love it or hate.

Any weather issues during the flight? Sorry to get off topic, just curious.

@RayaHope I felt the same way during my first flight. I wasn’t super scared but I do remember the thrill of the acceleration. I was 16 and going to my brother’s wedding.

Coming out.

My first ride on a roller coaster.

Every summer when I was a kid, we’d make several trips to a beach and amusement park, and I’d be fascinated by the roller coaster, with its slow, suspenseful climb and big drop, its speed, its whiplash turns, and its dramatic splashdown.

By the time I was this tall and could ride, I was too scared. I still looked at it from the perspective of a little kid.

Finally, in my twenties, I went back with a boyfriend and his buddy, and we rode it three across. In the middle, I was nicely cushioned. It was a thrill, and I loved it and insisted that we go again.

Going inverted on a roller coaster. When I was younger, I loved roller coasters, but had a hard line against anything that went inverted. I think I was about to start high school and my buddy and I were spending the day at an amusement park with these two girls. Everyone wanted to go on the ride that went upside down. I did not want to look like a dork, so I just tried to play it cool. I was so fucking scared, but didn’t let on and tried to play it like it was no big deal.

I ended up loving it and never looked back. I will say that there’s this type of ride that spins you around as you swing on a massive pendulum way high in the air, and I hated the entire experience. I also hate drop towers.

Buying my house.
I had awful nerves, and could see a million ways it could go wrong.
Turned out to be the smartest thing I ever did, other than marrying my wife.

My last job interview which was some time ago now. I was very nervous beforehand but I needn’t have worried as I got the job and loved doing it for the next 17 years.

Taking a chairlift for skiing.

No weather issues just the turbulence every now and then was a little scary at first until I realized that was normal and nothing to worry about. Funny thing too was a couple very young kids were there also (a girl about three yo and a boy about four) and they were having a ball laughing and playing and here I was “so scared” before hand. lol

Watching my wife give birth to our children, scary because I’m really quite squeamish & the thought of anything going wrong.
Awesome because, well…everything.

Learning how to swim.

Though I had both thoughts at the same time. Not one after the other.

“This is really scary. But it’s going to be amazing when I know how to swim.”

Water skiing.

I completed this Geocache. GCYK7H BWT’s Phobia Series – Acrophobia
Read the description and you will see why it was so terrifying. It turned out the description did not give all the info needed. The cliff face was only vertical for about 15 ft. After that it was recessed by about 10 feet so you could not touch anything. You are suspended in the air about 80 ft up bouncing on your rope. You have to let yourself down slowly using the proper rappelling knot. Easy… easy… don’t screw up… easy…
I was my 50s when I did it. I’m glad I did!
Thanks BWT, if you’re still out there.

@LuckyGuy Oh, I’m still afraid of heights but NOT flying, apparently. I would never hang off of a rope off a cliff (yikes!)

@RayaHope Ditto! Hell to the no!

Old-fashioned, wooden roller coasters. The first time I had the guts to try one, I became an avid fan. I’m not fond of those steel behemoths that twist around and upside down—too high-tech—but I’ll always be thrilled to ride on a (deliberately) creaky wooden version.

Filing for divorce seeking full custody.
Scary as anything, but amazingly rewarding. Every second of it to this day.

Sex.