climbing, river rafting, and eating peanut butter sandwiches without jelly (just making sure you’re still with me here!). In the book Heroic Efforts, Jennifer Lois reported that search and rescue volunteers have been shown to interpret their adrenaline rushes as not only exciting, but pleasurable. 1 Adrenaline junkies love the exhilaration of it all.
Consider astronauts. Astronauts have long been thought of as almost a different breed of human—free of typical anxiety and so brave. The truth is, though most of us would consider flying to the moon a brave act, if you aren’t afraid, you can’t be brave. Courage requires fear to label an act courageous. Were Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong afraid? You can bet that when they were the first to step onto the moon in 1969, adrenaline was flowing. Still, it seems they’ve never characterized this as an “anxious” experience, even with the uncertainty of what they would encounter on this strange terrain. In a recent interview, Buzz Aldrin mentioned being completely focused on the mission. 2 You can bet adrenaline, in part, was supplying that focus! If Neil Armstrong was anxious, he might have said something like, “Get me off this crazy boulder. I miss Earth. Mommy!” when first stepping onto the moon. Instead, he made the famous remark, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” (Though just a tip, Neil. Next time say “humankind”!).
Always remind yourself that adrenaline can be triggered by many experiences other than fear, such as an unfamiliar situation. The brain’s determination that the body requires energy or focus (like when in competition) can start up when engaged in any activity you find exciting or exhilarating, or when feeling overwhelmed, uncertain or, yes, afraid.
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