“Hold my hand and look at my back” is what my husband said. Not an easy task when you are walking on a 450-foot-long suspension bridge hanging 230 ft above a river.
Oh and one more caveat: I’m afraid of heights! 😨
I crossed the Capilano Bridge. This was during the 2019 holiday season.
We got our tickets and went in line to go across. I didn’t see the bridge in its entirety until I was about to take my first step. And at that time I didn’t want to turn around, go against the flow of people to sit and wait until the others in the group finished the tour.
Slowly we walked. I would have preferred a brisk walk, but there were a lot of people on the bridge.
I wasn’t able to take in much of the view. After all, I couldn’t look around. I still managed to make it across and back. And towards the end, I felt comfortable enough posing for a picture! 📷
Crossing the bridge was a big step for me. I usually don’t force myself to overcome my fears. This time I didn’t want to stay behind and not be able to share the experience with my family. And I thought with so many people crossing the bridge, I should be capable of doing so as well.
My support came from:
Positive encouragement and conscious breathing help overcome the body’s fight or flight response to perceived danger. My experience on the bridge is living proof of that.
Breathing is a powerful self-help tool. You can use it as
emergency help — what I did on the bridge when panic/fear set in
maintenance — with regular practice, you will improve your sleep, mood, focus, digestion, endurance
The best part:
👉 Conscious breathing is free and accessible whenever you need it.
Stay healthy, stay happy.