Blog Number Two: A Scorching Reminder of Self-Discovery

I will never forget the first, and the last time I was nearly immobilized with fear. My father, bless his heart, thought that Tony Robbin’s (a life coach guru) Unleash The Power Within seminar in Chicago would be a family friendly adventure. Little did we know the next six days would be a frenzy of 18 hour presentations with little food or water to “heighten mental focus.” Often, hours of yelling and inner self-reflection left my energy zapped, but I had never felt more alive. I was particularly aware of my fragile existence when Tony announced we were to “fire walk”; walk over burning coals, for more than the one foot I was hoping for. As the nervous wreck of the “Teen Leadership” group I was part of approached the pits, the burning fires made me break out into a cold sweat as my heart beat rose from a timid pitter patter to engulfing drum rolls that shook my whole body. I watched entranced as other members of my group took the first step onto, what appeared to be Satan’s welcome mat. Suddenly, I stopped thinking as the line before me shortened to just one person who was near the point of tears with terror now, but closed his eyes and took the leap of faith into the coals, turning a pile of hot rocks into a fiery catwalk fit for Alexander McQueen as he looked straight ahead without blinking an eye. And then no one was blocking my way to experience the “transformative, ethereal” experience of fire walking that Oprah so famously popularized with Tony Robbins. My mind felt heightened, on another plane of consciousness, as I was not able to comprehend what I was about to voluntarily do: risk my body for the sake of the thrill. From a girl who rides on roller coaster simulators instead of the real thing, and always looks twice before crossing the road this was about ten miles from uncharted territory. Ignoring my flight or fight responses kicking in, I took one step, and then another until I was suddenly at the end of Hell’s front parlor where everyone was cheering for me. The coals felt like clouds under my feet, a stretch of nothingness that evaporated before I knew it was there. Even though their encouragement and support lifted my spirits, the most incredible moment of that night was looking down at my completely unblemished feet that had walked over 1000°F without receiving the most meager of battle scars. On the other side of the fire pits, adults were limping over to the ER with blisters and burns tarnishing their soles while I sat incredulously on the ground, just thankful I was alive in one piece after learning the irrefutable proof that mind over matter exists: anything is possible once you stop placing limits or expectations on what you are capable of.