What are you going to do?

This blog follows on from 'Taking the Big Brave Steps', and is part of the talk I did at Womanifest 2026

Let me tell you a little story...

coming up to my birthday a few years ago my husband asked me what I wanted to do. I said I want all of us to go rock climbing (all of us being me, my husband and the 4 kids we have between us).

And I want to do an abseil!!

(My husband or eldest son had recently both passed their climbing instructor qualification).

So my birthday came and we went off to Lion Rocks on a beautiful sunny day with all the climbing gear and a picnic. My husband and eldest son excited to test their new qualifications out on me!

I’m not really a climber, I didn’t get very far up the crag, mainly because I had zero upper body strength at the time. We had a fantastic day, I was completely relaxed …. and had forgotten what I’d said I wanted to do…

Until, my son shouts from the top of this huge rock...

Mum, the abseil is ready for you!

So, a bit nervous I headed up round the crag to meet him and my husband. I got to the top… and sobbed!! And I mean full on sobbing!

The only thing I wanted to do was walk back down and go back to having a nice time, lying in the sun and eating cheese and crackers.

Because the fear and self doubt had kicked in

The Fear - if you do that you’ll probably die!

The self doubt - ’ who do you think you are, you’ll never be able to do that!’

While at the same time knowing how amazing it will feel once I’ve done it!

So I did a quick analysis and decided that, even though they were still practising -  the 2 people that set up the abseil loved me and weren’t going to let me die.

And I realised - I’m stood here, I have an amazing opportunity, am I really going to let fear and self doubt stop me from having that experience?

'That' experience was a symbol for lots of other things I was scared of...

Well let me tell you, leaning backwards over that rock was one of the scariest things I have ever done.

But I did it 3 times that day…

Each time I enjoyed it more, I had a bigger smile on my face, the feeling of fear and self doubt started to dissolve

Each time I became braver, more resilient, more confident…. and of course, had a HUGE sense of achievement.

To the point where I’m still talking about it ten years later…

So, your abseil is ready for you!!

What are you going to do?

Because:

Only you can make a decision what to do

Only you can make a decision to take on a BIG BRAVE challenge

Only you can make a decision to take those first BIG BRAVE STEPS

Remember, we only have one wild and precious life!