#31: Egypt and Overcoming My Fear of Heights: A Journey in Personal Transformation
Hello, and welcome to the Find Yourself, Change Your Life podcast! I'm Mary Clavieres, and today I’m inviting you into one of the most vulnerable, inspiring chapters of my own story—overcoming my fear of heights, and all the transformation that unfolded because of it.
Why Share About Overcoming My Fear of Heights?
Fear is an almost universal part of the personal transformation journey. Successfully facing a fear isn’t just about eliminating discomfort. It’s a signal to yourself that you’re ready for more, for different, for growth. That’s why I wanted to share my own experience of overcoming my fear of heights… especially since it’s so deeply connected to my personal and spiritual path, and to a truly life-changing trip I took to Egypt.
And no, this isn’t a story about forcing yourself through terror “for your own good.” My hope is that by sharing honestly, you’ll see that overcoming your own fears can take many forms, and sometimes it can be gentle and even magical.
Finding the Roots of Fear
Let’s go back a bit. I’ve always had a pretty paralyzing fear of heights. Airplanes? Fine, somehow. But walking up tall stairs (especially with rickety or no railing), crossing open bridges on foot, standing over anything with open space below—it would leave me frozen, or even in tears since I was a kid.
Years ago, before I moved to France, my husband took me sightseeing—beautiful mountain views, and a castle perched dramatically on a cliff. When we visited the castle, I started crying for no reason I could explain. There was so much energy and sadness, and it caught me off guard. Looking back, I can see how open I was, maybe more than I realized, and how this moment played into what was coming next.
That night, I dreamt vividly that I was thrown off a cliff—just like at the castle. The dream felt more like a message than random images: “Your fear of heights comes from being thrown off a cliff.” Was it my subconscious processing, a past life memory, or something else? All I knew was that I woke up knowing the origin of this fear. It sent me on a path of asking new questions and seeking healing.
Setting the Intention for Healing
I didn’t want my story to end there… with fear in charge. I tried various type of personal development work including, powerful experiences on group trips, including those led by my mentor Sarah Naia Soleil. I tried to be open, curious, but not to force or shock myself into “getting over it.” I really believe in letting healing and change be as easy as possible.
Then Egypt called to me. I’d heard stories of how transformational travel could be, but I waited until I felt ready to answer that call. When I finally signed up for a trip in 2023, I learned it would include a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings—a dream for many, but for me, a huge test: would I finally be overcoming my fear of heights?
The Power of Intention and Dreams
Knowing this was coming, I set an intention: “If I can face this, let it be easy. Guide me, and let me be ready.”
I kept journaling my dreams, staying open, and, just before Egypt, I had the most vivid, possibly lucid dream of my life. In it, I was climbing a shaky ladder to an airplane miles above the earth, terrified but determined. Then, suddenly, I realized if I fell, I could simply slow myself down and land softly. So I did—I jumped and landed gently on my feet. I woke up with a deep sense of peace in my body, almost certain that my fear had shifted, maybe even healed.
The Real Test: Hot Air Ballooning Over Egypt
When the day of the hot air balloon arrived, I was prepared for a panic attack but determined to try—surrounded by friends for support. As we rose into the sky, something incredible happened: I felt nothing. No panic, no tightness, no urge to close my eyes or grip the basket for dear life. I was just… there. Present. Amazed. Overcoming my fear of heights didn’t require struggle or force after all; it just required trust, intention, and maybe a little bit of dream magic.
I even recorded a video in the basket, just to capture the incredible shift.
Overcoming My Fear of Heights Changed Everything
Looking back, it wasn’t just one thing that led me here. It was a mix of curiosity, willingness, patience, travel, dreams, and setting the intention for healing. Each step, each experience, built on the last. And after overcoming my fear of heights, I discovered so much more waiting on the other side: new perspectives, deeper self-trust, and an expanded sense of what’s possible.
Your Own Journey
Your fears might look different. Your path to healing may or may not involve dreams or travel or Egypt. That’s okay. But as someone who spent decades held back by a fear so strong it dictated my choices, I hope my story encourages you to get curious about your own fears.
Maybe for you, overcoming your fear won’t be about heights at all. Maybe it’ll be about letting things be easy, or simply inviting new support, or taking the smallest first step.
Closing Thoughts
If you’ve read this far, thank you for letting me share this vulnerable piece of my transformation about overcoming my fear of heights. I hope it sparks something new in you—maybe even the intention for your own gentle healing.
If you’re called to adventures like Egypt, trust that nudge. If you’d like to connect, share your story, or ask about upcoming journeys, reach out.
And remember: The other side of your fear is not just absence of discomfort—it’s the beginning of a whole new chapter.
Special announcement:
I’m honored to announce that I’ve been invited to join my dear friend and mentor, Sarah Naia Soleil, as a support sister on her 9th annual journey to Egypt.
You’re invited to learn more and join us on this special journey to Egypt.
Thank you so much again for being here today and for your support.
If you’d like to connect further about unlocking the next step in your personal development journey, please feel free to reach out. I'm on LinkedIn and Instagram. I'm also on Voxer at @MaryClavieres.
Mind-Body Connection Unlocked:
Mind-Body Connection Unlocked book is officially available for pre order. This book has experiences, tools, tips, resources, all of the things to support you in strengthening and deepening your own mind-body connection.
We are very disconnected from our bodies and the more that we can get back in touch with that, the more that we can get out of our minds and into our bodies, the more deeply we can feel and experience life in a way that's in alignment for us.
Check out the Discover Who You Are Series:
Health, Fears and Intuition with the Spleen Center Human Design [Discover Who You Are Series]
Unlocking Self-Worth: Exploring the Heart Center Human Design [Discover Who You Are Series]
Exploring Your Emotions Through the Solar Plexus Center Human Design [Discover Who You Are Series]
Exploring Certainty Through the Ajna Center Human Design [Discover Who You Are Series]
Throat Center Human Design [Discover Who You Are Series]
