Don’t Let ‘First Timers Syndrome’ Stop You! [PICTURES]

I saw this post on Facebook, and it really struck a chord for me. We often fear what is foreign, no? And it makes sense. Being a 'fish out of water' makes me want to go back down under the surface most of the time.

Having braved that 'I've never done this and am going to look like an idiot' feeling many times, I can say that the feeling is without merit.

Every time I've done something new I have found, almost exclusively, that the people who are good at that thing and have been doing it forever are happy that I'm joining them in their activity.

As you can see above, the people who are replying are all about support, and I know that she is going to find the same to be true of the people at the actual 5k.

Another case in point...I started skateboarding at the skate park at 36 years old. I was more than double the average age, and I dress quite differently from the average skater. However, the kids looked at me, the old guy in all those crazy pads, and somehow understood that I just wanted to skate. They don't care if I stink, or if I'm wearing crazy pads. They just saw me as another person enjoying the skate park.

I'm sure the same is true for you, whether you want to run a 5k, play golf, go to the gym to be in better shape, learn to skate, or whatever.

Our fear is the block, and it's usually a fear of what other people will think of us. When we assume what they are thinking, we are almost always wrong, so don't allow the fact that you've never done something stop you from doing it!

I have a feeling you will be welcomed. Even if you are wearing hockey pads at the skate park.