My Experience Riding Camel in Mongolia in Managing my own Fear

We all have fears. A fear of spider, the dentist for one, a fear of failure… and the list goes on. There are types of fears that are life savers, realistic’ stoppers, the blockers or the dream killers, which one do you have?

For me, I have a fear of the heights, thanks for that hike in Macchu Picchu citadel that I realized I am one of those people that have some kind fear or dreads in life. Being a landscape photographer, having that sort of fear is difficult to have as it limits my capacity to captures those spectacular places of height, or simply, keep me from living freely and fully, and experiencing new scary things, like this Camel Ride for example.

My Cosmetic and Dental practice have a well known reputation in terms of Cosmetic dentistry and great at managing Dental Phobic. For those reasons, my dental clinic attracts patients who are afraid or scared of either the Dentist or going to the Dentist. They flock to my office hoping I can help them too, manage and face their fears.

So how did I manage my own fear? I give myself a pep talk, the same things I gave to my patients who are dental phobic. Just like management of any types of fear, first assess if there is a real validity to all those emotions or fear you are having and assess if there is a high risk involve of doing what you fear for or would it endanger you life? Most of the fear we suffer, is from the thoughts that is actually far worse that the reality, just like most of the things we worried about in life, they actually never happened. Our mind have the power to play tricks on us, thus hindering us to fully reach our full potential on whatever we what to accomplish, or it could be our powerful asset to help us to get on with life and accomplished we never thought we can. If we never give our self the chance to see what are we fully capable of, we would really never know our full potential beyond our comfort zone.

Emilia Lahti, writing about Hypponen’s text, argues that facing what we most fear builds our character and gives us strength. In so doing, we expand our mental and emotional reserves and find a second wind of motivation.

A great example of the power of facing fear was offered by Kyle Maynard, the extreme athlete who was born without arms and legs. In an enlightening interview, Hypponen asked about mental strategies for dealing with the anxiety before a mixed martial arts (MMA) fight. Maynard explained that he mentally rehearsed all of his anxieties–everything he would think and feel–ahead of the fight. After reliving the event’s fears many times, he was at peace when the actual match began.There’s an important principle at work here: facing our fears gives us energy. In moving beyond fear, we move outside our comfort zones and expand our boundaries. That expansion of boundaries provides an expansion of drive, enabling us to persist under adverse conditions.

By rehearsing our responses under adversity, we not only make fear familiar and rob it of its control over our behavior: we turn fear’s energy into our own strength of will, determination, perseverance, and acting rationally in the face of adversity.

Fear lies at the edges of our boundaries, just beyond our comfort zones. The goal is to tap into the energy of that fear to extend the realm of the possible.

Now, you want to be fearless? I can tell you how. You have two option. One, stay in your ordinary life. Right there. Predictable. Or two, face your fear, get it over and done with it, whatever you like to do or accomplished.

As for me, I had faced my own fears, enjoyed and had fun enjoying new things and experiences in life. Am I completely fearless now of heights? Not really. But at least I can already untick on my bucket list camel riding.

What is next for me? Perhaps skydiving or elephant ride. Till then, I will see you on my next post.

Photos are taken last Sept 2016 during the Naadam Festival in Mongolia. The camel must have suffered pain on his front hump by me holding it tightly during my ride. I was so scared, scream a lot during the ride that I was the laughing stock of my photography group. Someone, I have heard even jokingly said to get the camel to run fast. But on reflection, If I didn’t face my fear, I never had so much fun riding this Camel.

Here are some inspirational life quotes to help you see the amazing potential that life has to offer by facing fearlessly your fear.

All the concepts about stepping out of your comfort zone mean nothing until you decide that your essential purpose, vision and goals are more important than your self-imposed limitations. ~ Robert White

Outsides life’s comfort is the person we’re meant to be.

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.” – Erma Bombeck

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Lao Tzu

“You may find the worst enemy or best friend in yourself.”– English Proverb

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” – Carl Bard

Anyone contemplating of having a Camel ride in Mongolia or looking for the best Private or Group Tour, you can contact Ulzi, a Mongolian tour owner and organiser. He is highly recommended. His website is www.travelofmongolia.com. Email: ulzii@travelofmongolia.com Contact details: +976-70074000 or +976-88008837

READ MORE ABOUT DR ZENAIDY CASTRO AS A DENTIST & HER COSMETIC DENTISTRY PRACTICE IN MELBOURNE