MAKE FEAR YOUR SECRET WEAPON

Embrace things that you are afraid of, says Mariella Frostrup

FOR A LONG TIME, I HAD A PATHOLOGICAL TERROR OF SHARKS. I’m part of the generation who watched Jaws when it first came out; when people sprayed shark repellent on the beaches of Florida or else stopped swimming in the ocean altogether. I’d use any excuse not to jump into the sea, always favouring the safety of the shore to the blue and tranquil waters. Put simply, I was petrified. How did I decide to deal with this? By learning to scuba dive, of course! In 1986, on holiday in the Caribbean, I had a sudden impulse to do it – the beautiful waters enticing and terrifying in equal measure. There are few occasions in my life where I’ve been as frightened as I was doing a night dive; slipping off a boat and into the blackness in the middle of nowhere. The first thing I saw when I descended was a huge, dark outline – immediately familiar to anyone who’s ever watched Jaws. My adrenaline surged, and yet instead of speeding to the surface (the thing you’re taught not to do), against all my better instincts I found myself swimming towards the shark. Confronted with this amazing creature, my fear gave way to curiosity. I was mesmerised.

That’s the thing about fear. It’s that feeling when your heart beats faster, easily disguised as excitement. All my life, it’s propelled me. I left school aged 16 and I didn’t go to university, so

I’m always worried about the things that I don’t know rather than feeling proud of the things I do. Everything I’ve ever done with work has been framed by a feeling that I wasn’t up to it, from working on Live Aid in my twenties to judging the Booker Prize. Every time I say ‘yes’ to an opportunity, I have endless conversations with myself, saying ‘you’ve gone too far this time’, or asking ‘who are you trying to kid?’ However, there’s nothing to beat the sense of putting yourself out there and surviving. The sense of confidence that follows fear is a driving force; an incentive to break out of our comfort zones.

I believe that the brain is an untamed part of the body. Very often, we let emotional impulses take over our rational thoughts. Yet what sets us apart as a species is our ability to work out consequences – a lot of the time, we don’t take advantage of that. I believe we make choices, and that we all have the ability to change our course. Fear is a prime example; an emotional state that we all want to tame or find a way around. I’m not saying that we have to confront it head-on, simply that we shouldn’t let the things we’re afraid of define the choices we make. I am terrified of the idea of throwing myself out of a plane – the thought fills me with abject horror. However, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if, for my 60th birthday, I suddenly decide to do it.

Complacency reduces your possibilities and capabilities. Fear drives you forward. And harnessing it can lead to incredible resilience and achievement, as I’ve discovered while researching my latest book, Wild Women. Take writer and adventurer Lois Pryce, who drove across the Americas, Africa and Iran by motorbike; or Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei – the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1975. They, along with many other pioneering women often overlooked in the history books, used fear as an incentive, and it has led to courageous and triumphant feats. That is an important lesson for us all.

These days, I’m a complete diving convert. I find it incredible to be on this planet I’m familiar with, and yet find myself in what feels like an entirely different world. I’ve fallen in love with all the ocean has to offer – the vibrant colours, coral reef and all the amazing fish. And when all you can hear is the sound of your own breath, you’re lulled into a hypnotic, meditative state, surrounded by wonder and beauty. By confronting danger, you’re also celebrating being alive.

‘The brain is an untamed part of the body’