Spooky solo camping in an underground cave, exploring the cave and underground streams, challenging myself in the dark with nothing but the sound of the stream for distraction, wishing I’d brought a better head torch with me 👻👻👻

Nearly everyone feels uneasy or uncomfortable in the dark from time to time

Me included

When our ancestors lived and slept out in the open, the dark was a very dangerous place

Predators roamed at night and you had to be aware in order to survive

I live in New Zealand, there are no predators roaming about

In the dark, our visual sense vanishes

We’re unable to detect who or what is around us

Noises seem magnified

The only way for me to deal with my fear of the dark, is to address it head-on

It’s time to act despite of my fears

I ask and learn from others who are more experienced

I am wary of our weather, it rains often and the rivers rise quickly, sometimes without warning

I closely monitor the weather forecasts and am prepared and I consider all other challenges before I set out

Going underground is right outside my comfort zone yet I know from past experience that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks

With each new challenge, my self-confidence grows and I learn more about myself

I find that stepping outside my comfort zone enables me to grow and reach new goals

Do you feel stuck?

What are you doing to challenge yourself?

Find what motivates you, and challenge yourself one step at a time.

Have fun with it

* Leave your ego at the door

* and don’t aim for perfection

* Instead, have fun

* And rediscover the joy of experiencing new things

Reframe your outlook.

* Instead of imagining the worst possible outcome,

* how about you start imagining the best?

Celebrate each win.

* Acknowledge your progress,

* and celebrate your successes — big and small

Reduce overthinking

* It stops you from taking action

* and turns everything into a worst-case scenario.

* Practices like mindful breathing can help

* reduce negative thinking and anxiety.

Do I fear what’s in the dark?

As much as I fear the dark itself?

My fears are ungrounded

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ℹ️Stats

📅 Date: 04/03/2023

☀️Weather: Overcast

🌲Location: Okupata Caves, Tongariro Forest Conservation Area, Central North Island

⛺️ Accommodation: Cave 👻👻👻

🌲🌳🏕🌲🌳 Sounds of camping 🌲🌳🏕🌲🌳