How to Get Unstuck from That Cliff Edge
Southern Italy’s landscape is a breathtaking tapestry of cliffs, rocky shores, and impossibly blue-green waters. On a scorching day three years ago, during a spontaneous road trip, I found myself standing at the edge of a natural pool in a place called Tower of the Bear. The idea was simple: leap from the cliff into the crystalline water below — if you had the guts.
Having grown up in the Caribbean, where cliff-jumping is a common pastime, I knew the trick was to act on instinct rather than overthink it. With a confident grin, I took a running start and leaped with a howl. Even after dozens of jumps, the adrenaline rush always gets me.
I let my body savor the refreshing water on that scorching day as a reward for my audacity. As I surfaced, I looked up to see my friend still at the cliff’s edge, petrified. “Come on!” I yelled. “It’s amazing! You really don’t want to miss this!”
He didn’t move or reply. He later told me he’d done it many times before, but this time, he overthought it, worrying about hitting his head on a rock or worse, how his family would cope if something happened to him.
I teased him about it for a long time, but in reality, I felt bad for him. He missed out on a great experience because he let fear get the best of him.
Reflecting on my friend’s hesitation, I realized it mirrored my own recent anxiety about taking the first step into the unknown. For the past three months on Medium, I’ve been avidly reading with one goal in mind: to improve my writing skills and get advice on publishing my novel.
After some constructive reading, I realized I needed to start posting stories to stir my atrophied writing muscles before embarking on the monumental task of writing a novel. Despite outlining a dozen possible stories, I kept postponing it. Then, I remembered Bear’s Tower and had a moment of clarity.
Why do we jump in the first place, even if every inch of our body scream in self-preservation to avoid danger?
Because the feeling is the closest thing to flying you can experience while awake. It may last only a few seconds, but it’s worth it.
So after giving it enough thought, I decided I would no longer let the fear of the unknown paralyze me. And I would use the same approach to tackle my writing.
If you, like me, are stuck in the limbo of procrastination, fearing you’re not good enough or don’t have the time or ability, just stop it. Take the first step. Post the story. Publish your content. The rush of daring the unknown is the closest thing to flying. Trust me. When you finally beat your fears, you’ll feel lighter, free from guilt and regret.
Remember: All it takes is that first step.
The rest is downhill.
Thanks for reading my first story. Overcoming my hesitations to publish it was incredibly refreshing.
This essay is about starting a new path, and I’ll keep you updated with my journey.
If someone finds something useful in my ramblings, it will have been worth it.
See you soon. I’m here to stay.
