Did you ever fear something and imagined that it would really happen and you had to face your fear? Let me tell you this story: In the first month after I moved to Barcelona, I saw a fire in a house when I went to work.
The affected people gathered on the street in their pajamas and looked helplessly at the dark smoke that came out of one apartment.
Since that day, I feared that a fire would break out in the house I live, and that I had to manage to get out fast enough with my three cats.
I tried to visualize it, and it always seemed rather difficult.
Yesterday started as a great day: I went running in the morning - the sky was blue and spring was in the air.
In the afternoon, I had an inspiring phone conversation with two colleagues.
Then, I got up and wanted to do my laundry.
When I opened the door of the balcony, I saw dark clouds of smoke coming from downstairs.
People were screaming loudly.
A few seconds later, they were ringing my bell, giving me a clear sign that it was time to leave the house.
I looked at my three lovely cats that lay around lazily.
Now, we had to make the impossible possible.
Normally, it is a dance of at least 15 minutes to get them into the transport bags, and I never go out of the house with more than two cats.
Within a second, I grabbed two transport bags, packed Thor, one of my cats, and put him in one of them.
He was too surprised to react.
The other two tried to vanish.
I caught Loki, his sister, and put her into the other bag, ignoring her usual fight.
Fully concentrated, I grabbed Angel, my cheerful two-legged cat, on top of her.
I also got my passport because I want to move to another country, and I would need it to do so.
Then I left my apartment.
At the open door, I turned around and took a short glance at my belongings.
No, I wouldn't need anything else; all that was important was with me.
I closed the door.
The lights of the steep staircase were off, leaving it completely dark.
I went down, cautiously feeling for the end of each step.
The staircase was old and uneven, and even with light it was a challenge.
At one corner, I nearly missed a step.
I held on tightly to the handrail and reduced my speed.
The smoke became even thicker and made it hard to breathe.
Finally, I went through the entrance door on the street.
People started to talk to me.
I looked at them confused.
I somehow had lost my abilities to speak and understand Spanish.
The police came and closed off the street.
I sat down at the entrance of another house, the bags with the cats close next to me.
What is the next step I can do? I asked myself.
I looked at my mobile.
My battery was nearly empty.
The firefighters came.
People crowded together to see the fire.
I sent a message to my friend in Munich, asking her to pray.
Then, I sent a message to a good friend in Barcelona whether I could come to her place with my cats if I can't return to my apartment.
Both replied positively.
I prayed for being able to return to my house with shaking hands.
Thor was screaming in his bag.
Loki sat on top of Angel.
I told them that I was sorry.
Both of them looked at me with dark eyes.
I had to laugh.
I was so happy that we all were safe.
Whatever happened, there would be a solution.
One hour later, a firefighter brought me to my apartment.
My cats were well.
And although my knees were still shaking, all was well.
Yesterday was a very lucky day.
Thank you, Universe, thank you for my luck.
Most things we fear never will happen.
However, sometimes our fears paralyze us so the following advice can help you to relax: If you fear a situation, make a plan how you would act and who could help you.
Visualize the different steps, face your fear and how you overcome it successfully.
And just in case that it happens: Trust that you have a much greater strength and focus than you believe right now and that you can manage it.
Take little steps.
Pray for a positive outcome (you don't have to have a religious belief to do so).
Trust that all will be well.
The affected people gathered on the street in their pajamas and looked helplessly at the dark smoke that came out of one apartment.
Since that day, I feared that a fire would break out in the house I live, and that I had to manage to get out fast enough with my three cats.
I tried to visualize it, and it always seemed rather difficult.
Yesterday started as a great day: I went running in the morning - the sky was blue and spring was in the air.
In the afternoon, I had an inspiring phone conversation with two colleagues.
Then, I got up and wanted to do my laundry.
When I opened the door of the balcony, I saw dark clouds of smoke coming from downstairs.
People were screaming loudly.
A few seconds later, they were ringing my bell, giving me a clear sign that it was time to leave the house.
I looked at my three lovely cats that lay around lazily.
Now, we had to make the impossible possible.
Normally, it is a dance of at least 15 minutes to get them into the transport bags, and I never go out of the house with more than two cats.
Within a second, I grabbed two transport bags, packed Thor, one of my cats, and put him in one of them.
He was too surprised to react.
The other two tried to vanish.
I caught Loki, his sister, and put her into the other bag, ignoring her usual fight.
Fully concentrated, I grabbed Angel, my cheerful two-legged cat, on top of her.
I also got my passport because I want to move to another country, and I would need it to do so.
Then I left my apartment.
At the open door, I turned around and took a short glance at my belongings.
No, I wouldn't need anything else; all that was important was with me.
I closed the door.
The lights of the steep staircase were off, leaving it completely dark.
I went down, cautiously feeling for the end of each step.
The staircase was old and uneven, and even with light it was a challenge.
At one corner, I nearly missed a step.
I held on tightly to the handrail and reduced my speed.
The smoke became even thicker and made it hard to breathe.
Finally, I went through the entrance door on the street.
People started to talk to me.
I looked at them confused.
I somehow had lost my abilities to speak and understand Spanish.
The police came and closed off the street.
I sat down at the entrance of another house, the bags with the cats close next to me.
What is the next step I can do? I asked myself.
I looked at my mobile.
My battery was nearly empty.
The firefighters came.
People crowded together to see the fire.
I sent a message to my friend in Munich, asking her to pray.
Then, I sent a message to a good friend in Barcelona whether I could come to her place with my cats if I can't return to my apartment.
Both replied positively.
I prayed for being able to return to my house with shaking hands.
Thor was screaming in his bag.
Loki sat on top of Angel.
I told them that I was sorry.
Both of them looked at me with dark eyes.
I had to laugh.
I was so happy that we all were safe.
Whatever happened, there would be a solution.
One hour later, a firefighter brought me to my apartment.
My cats were well.
And although my knees were still shaking, all was well.
Yesterday was a very lucky day.
Thank you, Universe, thank you for my luck.
Most things we fear never will happen.
However, sometimes our fears paralyze us so the following advice can help you to relax: If you fear a situation, make a plan how you would act and who could help you.
Visualize the different steps, face your fear and how you overcome it successfully.
And just in case that it happens: Trust that you have a much greater strength and focus than you believe right now and that you can manage it.
Take little steps.
Pray for a positive outcome (you don't have to have a religious belief to do so).
Trust that all will be well.