As someone who used to spend hours pumping the pedals of spin bikes at Washington Sports Club gyms, riding a real bicycle outdoors is, well, really unnerving! Cars whizzed by me on both sides of a skimpy bike lane last Sunday as I froze in terror of being smashed by a texting driver. The first ride was terrifying. The second ride was uncertain. By the third ride, I began to build confidence. So why should you care?

Everything new we try in life can be frightening at first. The trick is to stick with it long enough to build confidence and become comfortable. Not too comfortable though because The Comfort Zone is a terrible place to live when you are working on your fitness.

Now, if you’ll please excuse me, I’m off for a pre-workout bike ride. Maybe I’ll ride the bike to CrossFit this evening or to the Farmer’s Market. Ah, the possibilities are endless! Get out there and try something new. Something that has always intimidated you. Face your fear. Go for it. Surprise yourself!