Why was it scarier the second time I did it?

Yesterday I climbed atop the roof to retrieve the helicopter. I was not scared even though I had never been on a roof before,(it's nice). Today I needed to get the helicopter off the roof again %26amp; I dithered finding the right shoes, right placement of the ladder and so on. I got up there %26amp; it was still nice, got the 'copter %26amp; flung it off, then I dithered on sliding feet first off the roof %26amp; onto the ladder, (the potential horror of having the neighbors see me on the roof all afternoon %26amp;, GASP, calling the fire dept was a strong motivator to get off). Once my feet were on the ladder I was fine. So...


Why was the second time scarier?

Why was it scarier the second time I did it?
Perhaps because your subconscious has thought in between yesterday and today about the possibility of falling to your death.





It could be that it is a subconscious message to yourself to be careful on ladders, and perhaps not so carefree.
Reply:I like the answer of the first guy to post an answer to your question, Danny. I, too, think that the first time you went up on the roof you acted impulsively without giving much if any thought about what dangers might be involved. I suspect that you're rather young and have a slight 'Devil-may-care' outlook on life. I think that the SECOND time you had to go up on the roof to recover the helicopter, your "fear senses" began to kick in, and you started thinking about what MIGHT COULD happen before you could get back down safely. From that point on, your 'Devil-may-care' attitude had lost your confidence, and you probably started feeling somewhat wobbly when you first stepped on the ladder to go up. When you got to the roof and stepped off successfully, I believe your confidence came back quite a bit because, even though you were on a sloped surface, it was solid and you were still traveling upward--albiet maybe somewhat diagonally. After you picked up the helicopter and sailed it clear of the roof again, THEN--you had to make the trip back down to ground again, and I believe that's when your confidence slipped badly and your position became very scary.


My advice (and I'm no psychiatrist--just recalling when I was a young-un and got quite used to running all over the roof of my parents big old house--having all kinds of peaks and valleys at different levels--much to my mother's dismay and causing leaks of rain down into the attic more often than I should)--uh, my advice to you, if you plan to continue to climb up onto roofs for anything, take some time to practice climbing up and stepping off the ladder just a short distance and turn this way and that, slowly, for a while--taking care of your sure footing and balance at all times; then move to a slightly higher location--not too far away from the ladder--and repeat the movements--being aware of your sense of good control and safety. I believe that after a few of these 'acclimation exercises' you'll be able to maintain your confidence--as well on the roof as on the ground--well--so long as you remember that the roof has definite boundaries beyond which you should NOT jump.%26lt;G%26gt;




freckles