What my ski panic moment taught me about career and life

With gusts of wind whistling loudly on my ear and blowing strong on my face, I was shivering on a steep hill. It was snowing and snowflakes started accumulating on my jacket. My legs were sore. A few minutes earlier, I asked the more advanced ski group I was with to go on without me.?As a beginner skier, I was stuck on this steep hill by myself and having a panic moment!

I could hear the imaginative voices of others: "It’s fine. Just go. Nothing to be afraid of!" But I couldn't just bury my feelings. I was scared! I felt I was not able to just go! I sat down, started to find my breathing, and treated myself with a few deep inhales of fresh mountain air. I looked around, gazing at the serene view of snow-capped peaks and forests I was immersed in.????

Many of the scenes from past experiences started to show up one by one in front of me: the first time I started learning skiing after becoming a mom of two kids, the falls and getting up again, the tangled skis, and especially the painful event of hurting my knee that year, and slow recovery. After a deep inhale and exhale, I said to myself: "Given all of that, of course you are scared!"?

I think of the roles and responsibilities I carry on my shoulders in my life and work and can't imagine what would be the impact for people who depend on me if I got hurt and was unable to fulfill my commitments. After a deep inhale and exhale, I whispered to myself: "Given all of that, of course you are scared! You fear because you care. "?

At the same time, I felt a sense of bravery and pride: the fact that I even gathered my courage to start learning skiing after becoming a mom of two kids in my late thirties! After the experience of a season-ending knee injury, I still came back the next year and resumed skiing. I told myself: "You are fearless! You've learned, adapted, and grown!" I felt a bit uplifted, and a slight sense of ease.?

Using my ski poles, I helped myself get up, and thought: "Thank you fear for trying to protect me. "

I looked at the hill in front of me, and the long runs that extend to the end of my view. I almost heard my husband's voice: "Trust yourself. Commit to the turn. Your skis will follow. " I leaned my body forward, and on I went! I felt in control of my balance. With the forward motion and the hill slope, I quickly picked up momentum, and felt more confident. The breeze in my hair felt more refreshing. I could hear more of nature's sounds as if they were cheering for me. I smiled, with the thrill of joy gliding down the mountain! I felt like I was flying through zigs and zags in a winter wonderland. It felt like a blast!?

As I reflected on this journey from panic to joy, I summarize my internal shift as an A-C-T process that was helpful for me: ?

• A - Acknowledge fear
• C - Commit to move forward in the moment
• T - Trust your adaptability, the mountain, and the journey

The acknowledgement of my fear cared for my emotions and feelings, which then supported me to commit to move forward in the moment and trust myself to adjust and adapt in the journey ahead.

By acknowledging my fear, committing to move forward in the moment, and trusting myself and the journey, I was able to A-C-T and enjoy the thrill and fun. These insights are applicable to career and life in general.?

A - Acknowledge fear

When we feel?stuck in our career or life, just telling ourselves "It’s fine; just go; nothing to be fearful about" could make us feel even worse. It's important to acknowledge our fear as a natural, normal, and universal human experience – one that helps us survive and grow. It can help us learn more about ourselves and our environment. Acknowledging fear can help us face and overcome it, rather than denying it.

Here are a few ways to help acknowledge our fears:

• Acknowledge that you are feeling fear. Don’t avoid, deny, or judge your fear. Instead, recognize it and accept it as part of your human experiences.
• Show yourself compassion. Don’t criticize, blame, or shame yourself for feeling fear. Instead, treat yourself with understanding, grace, and kindness.
• Thank fear for the insights it brings to you. Don’t ignore, dismiss, or fight your fear. Instead, listen to what it wants you to be aware of, and appreciate its role in your life.

These steps would help us feel acknowledged, validated, and cared for, and discover insights about ourselves and our motivation to move forward.?

C - Commit to move forward in the moment

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, which is why we call it the present.” - Cartoonist Bill Keane

The only thing we can control is in this moment. The only way we can plan effectively for the future is through our actions in the present.?Not the past, not the future. So, in the present moment, commit to lean forward, even if you cannot see where your journey leads!

The more we commit, the more momentum we’ll generate. Just like my experience on the ski hill, when I intentionally leaned my body forward to commit to lean in, with the momentum, the rest of body just followed. The more I committed to that moment, the safer and more balanced I felt. ?

T - Trust your adaptability, the mountain, and the journey

The courage to commit in that moment came from daring to trust – trust that the mountain will have my back, trust that the journey is full of wonders ahead, and trusting myself?to adapt and adjust as I feel the dance with the mountain.

Just like our career journeys: Trust that career is a marathon, not a sprint. There is an abundance of wonderful opportunities in this world and in our journey. There is an abundance of career paths, which means you can have a unique path that’s different from many others. There are zigs and zags, but trust that you can move forward with your commitment to lean forward, adapt, adjust, learn, and grow.?

Even a setback can be critical for your growth. My panic moment gave me the strength to not only turn my panic into a fun and thrilling experience, but also gifted me these insights while I was skiing down that slope.

In summary, I’ve learned from my ski panic moment that by acknowledging fear, committing to lean forward in the moment, trusting myself, the mountain, and the journey, I can A-C-T to explore wonder and joy in the journey ahead.

I invite you to try A-C-T and let me know what you think!?