Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right!

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right”. How often do you pay attention to your self-talk; that little voice inside you that either encourages you or holds you back? How often do the words “I can’t” prevent your body from taking on a new exciting challenge or adventure? Our minds can trick our bodies into believing that we physically can’t do something while, in reality, we are physically able – we are just choosing “not to”. There are some great strategies to help overcome negative self-talk, like talking to someone who can put those negative thoughts into perspective, surrounding yourself with people who make you smile and laugh, and mentally “replaying” a positive experience, thought, or mantra.

Many times, when guiding guests on the Zip Line Canopy Tour at our Empower Adventures location in Middletown, CT, we connect with individuals whose level of comfort (or discomfort) range from slight apprehension to “level-10 fear.”

The Empower Adventures Guides find it helpful to:

Provide people with important information about the safety measures involved in zip lining; including the weight-bearing strength of the personal zip lining gear and the cable “fall protection systems”
Develop a trusting rapport with guests through conversation around the source of their fears and/or negative thoughts
Help guests build trust in the safety gear during the EMPOWER ground school
Teach guests to practice for successful completion during the EMPOWER ground school, and
Quieting the negative self-talk through breathing and re-focusing exercises at the start of the zip lining adventure.

Our minds prefer comfort over discomfort or change; preventing us from “stepping to the plate” in those uncomfortable, yet positive, challenging moments. We become the best version of ourselves when we push our comfort zone by seeking out the positive challenges that will lead to happiness, enjoyment, and, most importantly, adventurous personal growth and development.