Life as the Art of Practicing
I’ve spent most of my life practicing. Hours and hours before I even went to conservatory. Then after, if I wasn’t practicing myself, I was teaching the kids to practice. And later, I added a writing practice and a Taekwondo practice.
It’s probably no surprise that I love practicing.
Breathing has been a difficult activity, lately. The other day I had yet another asthma attack. I still get afraid—of having to spend a fortune going to the hospital, of waiting too long to go to the hospital, of passing out. You know, not being able to breathe is a little scary. 
And then I had a thought: what if I pretended that an asthma attack was merely a practice session for conquering fear?
I decided that every time I get an asthma attack, I’m going to practice not being afraid. I’m going to pretend like it’s the end of a race, when you’re pushing as hard as you can and you feel like your lungs are going to burst and it hurts like hell.
At that moment, people tend to push through and run with all their heart and win—or they don’t.
So my idea is that every time I have an asthma attack, I’m going to pretend I’m racing. And I’m going to practice being the kind of person who runs all the faster at the end of a race.
That way, conquering fear will be that much easier in real life.
I almost can’t wait for my next asthma attack.
Have you ever used a difficult part of your life as practice?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats. She is currently enjoying the lizards and desert heat in Arizona.
You are grown wise young grasshopper. And brave.
Hah! My friend’s nickname is the grasshopper.
I can’t say that I have, although it sounds like a good idea. When I was running — which I got into late after being a couch potato — I did learn, to an extent, to objectify the physical discomfort of running. To me, not being athletic, it was a revelation that you could react to discomfort rationally, as a signal, rather than allow it to send you into a panic. The discomfort of an asthma attack, however, must be a lot worse than that caused by running a race but I think you have a good idea there.
Yeah. I do pretty well to an extent, but I definitely have a breaking point. And I think the more times I make it through the bad ones and live, the more confident I’ll be.
I’ve never done that, but I like that idea. I’ll give it a shot.
Like Charles said, you are wise and brave.
Nah. I’m not, LOL! I’m just trying to get to wise and brave!
That’s a great idea! Fear probably makes you breathe faster, aggravates the asthma, etc. You’re a smartie.
I’m pretty good at breathing slowly even when afraid, ’cause I know it would just makes it worse. I just hate bursting into tears, LOL.
You’re heart is in the right place, but please don’t push it to such an extent that it puts you in a situation of no turning back.
In answer to your question, when I’m facing a daunting obstacle I remember the day the eye doctor stuck a six inch needle in my eye. If I can face that, I think I can face just about anything.
See, that’s where I never know, you know? Sure, my life is worth the outrageous cost of a hospital visit… I just don’t want to go BEFORE that, because it’s too much to spend when another puff of the inhaler woulda fixed it.
OH MY GOD! I could never do that! Holy crap you are brave, Kath!
Thanks, Natasha! If given a choice at the time I would have run away screaming like Frankenstein’s monster facing flames. But,it was either that or total blindness (instead of partial, lol).
Here’s to better challenges, one we can control. Cheers!