I had an opportunity to scuba dive and get up close and personal with whale sharks, a profound experience that would leave me breathless.

Thank God for my oxygen tank!

For as long as I could remember, the thought of swimming deep into the sea would send shivers down my spine.

What if I get swept away by the tide and drown… and sink further and further into the fog of darkness?

What ungodly monsters of the deep lie beneath the surface, waiting to sink their teeth into my flesh?

What if out of nowhere, a stray shark or stingray comes darting in my direction to take my life before I get to see all my dreams fulfilled?

Fear is irrational.

And when the mind is idle, they can blow out of proportion and paralyze you.

Fear is the main reason most of us don’t achieve our true potential. The reality is that fear is illusory. Most of our fears never come true.

But more importantly, fear is a safety mechanism to ensure we don’t do dumb things to put our lives in danger. 

Fear is meant to help you, not harm you. When fear is kept in check and calculated risks are made, you open yourself up to experiences you could never imagine.

And that’s what happened to me.

The night before, I mentally prepared myself and tucked myself in early. I remember my heart pounding as I experienced the moments leading up to the dive.

My guide had my back – literally – throughout the whole adventure. Yet I couldn’t help but wonder if should anything happen to him… I’m probably better off dead in the water.

We started off exploring the coral reefs near the coast. Before I knew it, the floor disappeared, and I felt like an astronaut.

Together with my friends, we dove 15-feet deep to marvel at the beautiful whale sharks, beholding their majestic size and grace in the water.

And just like that, all my fears completely dissolved like salt in the water.

The young whale sharks swam circles above me, one nearly whipping me with its razor-sharp tail fin. They were innocuous and playful, and they instinctively knew they were A-list celebrities to us tourists.

The sharks were completely harmless. And we were completely speechless.

I was never much of an animal conservationist, but it was at that moment I realized that I too would be enraged if people had the nerve to harm or slaughter these beautiful creatures for sport.

After witnessing their majesty, how could anyone have the heart to commit such vile acts towards these creatures?

As I watched the sharks hover around me, I felt a sense of lightness in the water, as if I was being embraced by the ocean.

It’s hard to describe a feeling that was a combination of both awe and serenity. I felt like I was in my natural element. I hesitated when I entered, but now I didn’t want to leave.

When we returned to the shore, I hugged my friends, knowing I conquered yet another one of my fears. Public speaking was the first, this might be a close second.

There is a quote by Jack Canfield that I find to be so true, especially after this experience:

“Everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear.”

I realized my fear of the ocean may have been programmed in me by my parents – who aren’t big fans of the ocean themselves.

As a child, I was taught never to swim too far into the sea. And to always say ‘no’ to friends who’d encourage me to try scuba-diving or other sea activities.

And the obsession with great white shark documentaries didn’t help either!

Facing your fears can be really hard – but saying ‘yes’ to small, baby-step experiences related to the fear can help tremendously. 

While you may not be able to face your fears immediately like I just did, you can start by familiarizing yourself with the fear. 

It helps to have the right line of questioning.

Ask yourself: when did I first developed this fear?

What stories have I been telling myself about this fear?

If I could start conquering this fear today, what would be the smallest, easiest step I can take to move forward?

Start by being compassionate with yourself. Instead of feeling embarrassed or angry at yourself for having such fears, accept that they have been part of you for a period of your life…

…then resolve to let them go.

I could never dream of swimming with sharks. So I start with the most harmless shark – the whale shark. Literally vegetarian sharks who aren’t interested in human flesh.

I might try more riskier activities in the future, who knows? But I’m proud of myself for making that first dive and finally knowing what it’s like.

That’s one regret I know I WON’T have, at the end of my life! And I think that’s worth something.

I hope you too can find the inspiration to conquer your deep-seated fears.