Moving Past Fear: Why I Said Yes to Buying a Sailboat and Getting Outside My Comfort Zone

Before we purchased our sailboat, walking the dock was intimidating to me.

Pav and I were on a walk one day, and when we got to the Small Craft Harbour, he asked if I wanted to go down and check out the boats. Part of me wanted to, but another part of me, something in the form of fear, said no you don’t want to go down there. I didn’t want to get in the way of the fishermen coming in after a long day on the water, the boat owners doing their boat projects, or the other boat dwellers just relaxing and enjoying their day.

That might sound crazy to most people who enjoy walking on the docks in the town they are visiting or where they live, but for some reason I was afraid. I think for some reason, deep down, I felt I didn’t belong there, and therefore I shouldn’t go down there. I felt I didn’t have anything to add to a conversation that might start with someone on their boat, and I felt like I was intruding on a space that wasn’t for me.

Little did I know, I would end up buying one of those sailboats I was looking down at from the ramp not long after that day. That those people and situations I was intimidated of were not scary at all, in fact they are some of the nicest people I now know.

Since we have moved aboard, we have gotten to know the fishermen, boat owners and transient boaters I was intimdated by that day. This taught me a valuable lesson in the fear of “not belonging” somewhere. It taught me that you belong just as much as anyone else, and there are no rules as to who can be part of this space. No matter your gender, age, body type, what you know, etc.

I am so glad I did not let this fear hold me back from purchasing our sailboat 2 years ago. When we began talking about buying the boat, I could have easily said “Well, I don’t know anything about sailboats or living aboard, so I don’t think this is for me”. Instead, I decided to take the growth mindset approach- “Well, I don’t know anything about sailboats or living aboard, so let’s start learning, because this is something I really want to try”.

That one decision, to not let fear stop me from something I really wanted to try, has changed the trajectory of our lives, and opened up a whole new world of possibilities for our future.

So, next time you are afraid of doing something, as yourself why? ask yourself, is this something I could learn to do? And ask yourself, is this something I really want? If the answer to those last two questions is yes, than give it a go! It might just be one of the best decisions you have ever made! And if not, at least you tried and you know more about what you want and what you don’t want. You still gain valuable insight.

I am still learning everyday- doing courses, watching Youtube videos and reading articles about sailing and living aboard. The learning never stops. But as you learn, you begin to develop a quiet confidence. A confidence in knowing that you belong to whatever you want to belong to, and you are creating the life meant for you.

I’d love to hear from you in the comments about your own experiences related to overcoming fear and/or stepping outside of your comfort zone.

-Keel