For the most part, your thoughts are right.
So, there was no way we were traveling all the way to Egypt to see the Pyramids of Giza and not go inside the Great Pyramid. I was excited for the exploration, but also had some reservations due to the enclosed space.
There were two full lines of people walking up and down all within this tiny shaft that was less than four feet in diameter. About three minutes up this narrow walkway, lo and behold, my mind began playing tricks on me.
It was ridiculously hot and humid in there, and I had begun panicking as the fear of the walls caving in weighed heavily on my mind.
I kept thinking that I fucked up by insisting we go inside the pyramid.
I can’t continue this and have to figure out how to maneuver around all these people in order to exit.
If I had left, I would’ve lost this experience and my mind would’ve been right about one thing:
I couldn’t, and failed to do it.
This trip required a great deal of crouching and was mentally challenging to say the least. I was behind my fiancé and couldn’t see beyond him to deduce how much of the pathway was left before reaching a wider space.
My body was sweating profusely and I felt confined not only physically, but was also afraid of my inability to shake off the internal struggle as we occasionally found ourselves at a standstill. There were brief moments that felt never-ending as we stopped moving to allow other visitors the space to make their descent.
I wanted so badly to be grounded again, and found myself repeating positive affirmations as we continued making our way up to the King’s burial chamber.
Trust me when I tell ya there was no breathtaking view; it was a small room with an empty sarcophagus inside it.
Still, it was dope.
The trek down felt a lot easier since I knew the exit awaited us, and I couldn’t wait to breathe fresh air again. That’s when I had the above photo taken of me cheesing.
I was super proud of myself for staying and completing the visit. Whenever I push myself beyond what’s comfortable, my confidence grows—it’s like a muscle that strengthens over time.
That was a segment of a birthday trip we took back in March 2025. I would say that the distress turned out to be the biggest hurdle for me in the past year since retirement has been quite peaceful and relaxing. Being a stay-at-home dog mom had become my new and favorite title.
Naturally, that adventure encourages me to welcome the next challenge that will inevitably come along.
The thoughts that you choose to think can either come to fruition or motivate you to reframe the narrative. You get to make the choice on which ones to keep and will help you to achieve your optimal decision-making for a life well-lived.
As they say, we tend to regret the things we don’t do. So, go ahead:
Just do it.