Doing things that scare you

Nitefly

Nitefly

Nitefly

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Thought it might make a good thread (for story sharing or GD bantz… why not both?!)

What have people done recently that scared them? Doesn’t have to be ‘dangerous’ or ‘epic’, just human experiences! My example is really ‘small’ and silly :o

I was at a concert yesterday (seated) and in the first half, the couple in front of me were constantly talking mid-song (couldn’t leave it alone for even a minute). It wasn’t ’loud chat’ or anything - I couldn’t actually hear them - but having two people weaving their heads together right in front of my fact was very distracting. It was really bugging me.

I mentioned this to my wife at the interval who apparently didn’t notice this at all. Really?! Am I just being a big fusspot then, they aren’t being deliberately annoying I guess… ooOooOo :(

I’m a confident person but I dislike confrontation and tend to shoulder ‘grief’ like this rather than do anything about it… only to be annoyed later that I didn’t do anything. This time, I decided it was ‘safe’ opportunity to push boundaries, be brave and that I would politely ask them to ‘talk less’ in the second half.

After a few trembly minutes of ‘psyching myself up’ I tapped them on the shoulder and said my piece. They weren’t ’overly frosty’ but said they’d accommodate my request, for which I gave my appreciations. I felt super awkward, but it could have gone worse!

I returned to the safety of my row and the guy next to me immediately said: “thank you - they were being really annoying!”

Indeed, they did stfu and all went well... phew…but I felt like I was having a panic attack for about 20 mins afterwards until I calmed down. Hurrrgn!!

So, Spartans, which challenges in life have you thrown yourself at recently?? I’m sure there will be examples that are a lot braver than me…! Or throw in any other thoughts on the topic.
 
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As a general rule I think it’s healthy to try things that scare you, whether that’s because you’re not sure how someone will react or whether you’ll succeed. Usually things go better than you expect and that helps build your confidence. I also think it’s really helpful to learn to fail. A lot of people get to quite a late stage in life without having significant setbacks and don’t build the tools to deal with it.
 
Roundabouts - those crazy ones with like 6 lanes, poorly signed and randomly change the rules half-way around, etc. I'm generally a confident enough driver but those leave me in a cold sweat - went on a course for work recently and had the choice of a longer route into the city avoiding the crazy roundabout or using it.
 
Mines an extension of @Roff post.

Driving around in unfamiliar places especially in busy city centres just makes me want to abandon driving altogether. The fact there all covered in cameras and one way systems just adds to the stress.
 
Freddie1980 said:
Mines an extension of @Roff post.

Driving around in unfamiliar places especially in busy city centres just makes me want to abandon driving altogether. The fact there all covered in cameras and one way systems just adds to the stress.
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London is the worst, not because it has the worst traffic, but because of all the cameras installed just to catch you out and tax you in one way or another.

The fact they spent so much money on that, rather than cameras for people's security or more police also speaks volumes about the people who run the city. It's an oppressive place rather than scary.
 
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I have a phobia of heights which manifests when I don't feel securely planted or safe (flying is fine for instance, good luck getting me to skydive though). I still remember being 6-7 years old on my hands an knees on top of one of the turrets at Conwy Castle and I'm not much better now. I find edges terrifying and my legs go weak. Going 5-6ft up a ladder gives me the wobbles.

The thing that has always given me the biggest rush of adrenaline due to that fear, without realistically being all that scary, is Oblivion in Alton Towers. It doesn't matter how short the ride is or how old it's getting, it always gives me the same rush when it hangs over that drop for a second.
 
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tom_nieto said:
Most frightening thing I’ve ever done is a bungee jump. Wasn’t even a particularly high one, but wow, the feeling of plunging off a bridge to your imminent death takes some beating. Not sure I’d rush to do it again!
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While dating the now wife, i was talking crap as usual and mentioned i'd love to do a bungee jump - i didn't as i have a terrible fear of heights. Wife bought me a bungee jump for my birthday.

Do i come clean or confess i was just being billy b0llocks at the time? I decided to chance it, hoping for whatever reason the jump would be cancelled, it wasn't. However, it was a 'travelling community' fair and the bungee jump was from a crane with a crap mat at the bottom :eek: :eek:

I went to the top and the guy could see i was nervous, he told me to look at the horizon, good idea i thought. I asked if that helps calm peoples nerves, he replied that no, there's a graveyard over there and gave me a push. Screamed like a girl all the way down.

Told my wife years later.
 
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Nothing was more scary than working jobs where you are stuck in a car with an absolute lunatic driver.

One guy had 17 points on his licence lol. Should have been banned you say. This is the UK, our legal system is retarded.
They let him keep his licence because he needed it for his job.
He had zero care and his 18 year old Son was also a moron who refused to put his seat belt on.
 
@Nitefly don't worry there's no danger of me actually contributing to the thread, but the way you describe yourself is exactly how I am. The internal justification for confrontation has to reach quite extreme levels that I usually only end up acting to achieve relief from the internal noise, or out of anger for those who have caused it. In the same way as you, it's usually pretty obviously fine afterwards and people end up apologising separately/someone agrees privately.
 
I was thinking of dumb/scary **** I've done and whilst at uni I'd regularly go out driving with my drunk Italian house mate at midnight to "get some fags," then burn around the Oxford ring road at 140mph. I dunno why I'm not dead tbh.

I lived with 2 petrol heads, 1 who's quite famous now in his circle and they were always trying to outdo each other with car stuff.

I remember the disk brakes glowing red one time I thought that was cool lol
 
Zefan said:
@Nitefly don't worry there's no danger of me actually contributing to the thread, but the way you describe yourself is exactly how I am. The internal justification for confrontation has to reach quite extreme levels that I usually only end up acting to achieve relief from the internal noise, or out of anger for those who have caused it. In the same way as you, it's usually pretty obviously fine afterwards and people end up apologising separately/someone agrees privately.
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Is this necessarily a bad thing though? As long as you're not a pushover, confrontation just as often leads to more push back, especially when you're dealing with an ape who uses aggression to solve problems or feel big, because it's all they can manage/comprehend. People are too quick to dive in so much of the time, actually attempting discussion things can resolve it before the need to escalate. I guess it depends on the issue / who is involved though. Someone being an asshat at a concert, cinema etc does bug me. Lack of consideration bugs me.

Though after typing this you didn't actually say it was a bad thing. :D
 
This is going to make no sense as to why it is so difficult for me but I went for a blood test in my local hospital on my own on Monday. I have to do regular blood tests so that wasn't the problem it was because I hadn't done it on my own before.
 
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