Stretching... Out of Your Comfort Zone: My Story of Overcoming Fear

This is not my normal blog post that discusses stretching benefits. This post is about stretching in a different way—out of your comfort zone.

I am writing this from my hotel room in Saudi Arabia. I’m here to attend my son’s graduation from King Abdullah University of Science and Tech, where he will receive his Master’s degree in marine biology and graduate with honors!

My journey started when my son, Collin, first announced that he had been accepted into this world-renowned program—the only problem was that it was far, far away on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia.

He would not attend without us (his parents) giving him our “okay.” I remember falling to my knees in my kitchen with excitement, filled with so much pride in my amazing son.

But I also had overwhelming fear—fear of the unknown!

You would have to know my son to understand that he is the kind of person who would pursue such an adventure and that this university would be lucky to have him as a student.

Of course, we gave our approval. We would never stand in his way, but the “mom in me” was out of her comfort zone. My son was going halfway around the world to study in a country that many have never even been allowed to enter.

So here I was, 18 months later into this journey. The day before were to leave, I was almost paralyzed with anxiety and fear! I wasn’t sure if it was the fear of my claustrophobia and heights setting in on the 18-hour plane ride I had ahead of me or if it was the fear of the unknown land I was about to enter. And I was going away for 10 days during the busy holiday season. How was I going to get it all done?

All my fear seemed to override how much I was looking forward to watching my son receive his Master’s degree in his favorite subject. He had worked so hard for this day, and I knew I had to let my fears go.

We departed the U.S. on a Saturday evening with a 12-hour layover in London, arriving in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Monday morning. (We didn’t get any real sleep for 48 hours!)

Walking through the airport, I quickly realized that I stuck out like a sore thumb. It felt like everyone was looking straight at me. Not many Americans get the opportunity to come to Saudi and probably not many Saudis get to come to the U.S.

I had made it through the fear of the flight, but now I was facing the fear of the foreign land and not being accepted by its culture.

Collin met us at the airport, so excited to show us the town and his campus.

Jeddah was not what I had imagined at all. It was very cosmopolitan with all the conveniences and luxuries of the U.S. There were beautiful hotels, palaces, and shopping complexes that looked like Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. I was sold when our first stop was Starbucks!

We drove to Collin’s campus, about one hour from Jeddah. I can’t put into words how amazing the campus and town are. My jaw dropped when we entered the gates. My fears had all drifted away!

The people here are all so kind and friendly. 

I had the amazing privilege to meet one of my son’s classmates in the program who is from Saudi. She is graduating with her PhD and is now a Doctor of Marine Biology. She was lovely and extremely gracious! She beamed with happiness to be able to meet Collin’s parents from America and was so excited that we were able to come to Saudi for the commencement.

She asked me what I thought of her land. I explained that it was completely opposite of what I had anticipated and how much I loved it and the Saudi people.

“I know,” she said, “It’s really not what you hear on the news… we are great people in a great land.”

I hugged her and she hugged me. She is right.

Despite my overwhelming fears prior to leaving for Saudi, I did it.

I got out of my own way to make it to Saudi to experience one of the cherished moment of hearing my son’s name called and watching him walk across the stage to receive his diploma. And there were people from all over the world also experiencing this same proud moment for their own children.

I have learned a new way to “stretch”... I had to lean into my fears to see them all melt away.

Just as tight muscle tissue can cause limited range of motion and mobility, so can the mind cause us to limit our ability to experience life in new ways.

I truly feel like I will never be the same. I stretched my mind into the unknown and overcame my many fears. I somehow dug deep and found the courage to push through which was a “stretch” for sure!

If you’re reading this, my hope is that you will be inspired to “stretch” through your fears and allow yourself to get to the other side!

On our flight, I noticed Delta’s phrase: “The ones who truly change the world are the ones who get out in it.”

My son is “changing the world” because he chose to “get out in it”—and he changed MY world by getting ME out in it!

So get out there and take a stretch!

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