Fear of Heights & Hot Air Balloons

Last week I checked off a bucket list item - going on a hot air balloon ride. 

Here is what I learned from my floating in a basket at an elevation of 2,000 feet...

I CAN HANDLE ANYTHING!!!

Growing up, my Dad and my Mom both had a fear of heights, so it’s only natural that I would also develop a fear of heights. A fear of heights and a hot air balloon don’t exactly go hand-in-hand. What is so incredible is that fear is no longer an obstacle in my life. I have embodied how to face my fears and do it anyway. 

In the past my fear would prevent me from doing what I want. Fear and anxiety would paralyze me and suppress my heart’s desires, but not any more. I have mastered a new baseline of safety, love and wholeness in myself that allows me to go anywhere, anytime with anyone and do anything. It’s a level of freedom and expansion that I never thought was possible for someone with depression, anxiety and multiple chronic illnesses. 

I am now the woman who can face her fears knowing that I can handle anything. This true confidence has enhanced my baseline happiness and increased my capacity for joy in my life. Join my UNLEASHED program so you too can feel empowered to face your fears and finally step into the life of your dreams. 

FACING FEAR TIPS

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FEARS:

The first step in overcoming fear is to acknowledge it. When you suppress your fears it gives the fear more power over you. By expressing my fear to the group, that I was nervous about the hot air balloon ride, it lessened the grip the fear had over me. When you acknowledge your fear you are agreeing with your subconscious, so it will create less resistance and more ease. I also acknowledge how I am feeling. For example, before the hot air balloon ride my muscles were tight, my jaw was clenching, my heart was racing etc… I was physically experiencing fear in my body. So notice and acknowledge without judgment.  

UNDERSTAND YOUR FEAR ORIGIN:

Often, our fears are rooted in deeper, underlying issues—past experiences, societal expectations, or personal insecurities. Take time to explore where your fear comes from. Is it yours or someone else’s? Understanding the root cause of your fear can help you address the real issue rather than just the symptoms. Healing the root cause can completely dissipate the fear or lessen the intensity immensely. Book an Empower Hour session to deep dive into a particular fear that has been holding you back in your life. 

MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR FEARS:

What you resist persists. Stop fighting, judging and resisting your fears and start making peace with your fears. By accepting your fears, I am afraid of riding in a hot air balloon. The subconscious has nothing to resist or fight because I am acknowledging and embracing the truth.  Always treat your fear as you would a young child. You would not yell at a child for being afraid, you would be kind, patient, compassionate, supportive and encouraging. Changing your energy around how you treat yourself while experiencing fear will completely change your experience of the fear.  

SUPPORT:

Support yourself experiencing fear by down-regulating your nervous system. I supported my nervous system through sigh breaths, body shaking and lots of pacing around before the balloon ride. This helped my body let go of the stress response and make the fear manageable without taking over and causing a full blown panic attack. You can also support yourself by receiving help from others. For example, I went with my Aunt who was super knowledgeable and has already done this twice before, so she was a great support to have while facing this fear. Her calm helped influence me, so I could experience more relaxation as well. Be sure to join my UNLEASHED program with weekly sessions and in-between office hours so you can be supported every step of the way on your journey to the most empowered version of you.

SMALL STEPS:

Overcoming fear doesn’t mean jumping straight into the deep end. Start by taking small, manageable steps toward facing your fear. Each small victory builds confidence and makes the next step easier. DJ and I go on a lot of hikes and often there are cliffs and lookout points. I would have avoided these in the past but every time there is an opportunity to face my fear of heights I embrace it, so I can desensitize my fear as well as build my zone of tolerance for regulating my stress response around my fear. 

CULTIVATE YOUR CENTER:

I define your center as this sacred space inside of you where you are safe, loved, whole and complete. It’s the essence of your being, your truest and most authentic self. From your center, you are capable of facing any challenges that might occur in your life. As you root and ground into your center, there is an innate sense of okayness that gives you inner strength and resiliency to navigate the highs and lows of life. You become less reactive to the external world as you ground in your center. 

Think of your center as “your person”. Your center is your best friend, your protector, your biggest supporter and number one fan.  Your center will have your back and be there for you always and forever no matter what. Your center gives you clarity of who you are and what your heart desires. When you connect with your center you have access to your truest self so you can make choices that are in alignment with who you are and what you desire. 

Your center offers you unlimited safety, love and support. This intrinsic resource is infinite! Your center will never be depleted, never abandon you, never give up on you and never stop loving you. Your center is infinite and always and it’s time to unleash this part of yourself and experience the joy, empowerment and contentment that exists within you. 

The stronger your center the easier it is to face fears because it is the number one support system that you can rely on to have your back in any situation so you are never alone. 

POST FEAR REGULATION:

This is probably one of the most important steps of facing your fears and it is the least talked about. After you face your fear, (post hot air balloon ride) the body is more often than not still in a stress response, so be sure to take time to fully regulate your nervous system after the fear experience. Bring yourself back into a state of complete relaxation physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It’s important to make sure that the stress response is released through the physical body because the body has a tendency to store tension and stress. I LOVED the hot air balloon ride, but just because I loved it doesn’t mean my body wasn’t still holding all the residual stress from the before and during experience.  

Overcoming fear is not about becoming fearless; it's about developing the courage to act despite your fears. By acknowledging your fears, understanding their roots, and taking deliberate steps forward, you can transform fear into a powerful motivator for growth and achievement. Remember, courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s the ability to move forward in the face of it.

If you are tired of fear controlling your life and limiting you from creating your dreams then reach out to me and book a FREE EMPOWERMENT CALL so we can chat about how I can help support you on your journey of empowerment. 

As a healer and a life coach it is my purpose and passion to empower highly sensitive and empathic women to thrive in life and love.  

I have created this for myself and now I can provide you with the tools and skills you need to do the same.