When I was younger, I was the kid who kept the training wheels on my bike as long as possible. The idea of dramatically hitting the pavement after an error of turning the wheels on my bike scared me so much that I would run at the thought of it. My gut ached with the thought of getting on that bike and riding to an unknown future. Without the security of my wheels, who could ensure my safety on this mound of metal and rubber? It would be just me and the machine. My dad would beg me to just get on so I could see what it was like. No way.
I remember being so petrified, embarrassment was the last thing to cross my mind. As I began to grow older, this changed. Bike safety day. Bike safety day, it’s supposed to be a fun day at school where you bring your bike and the school provides you and your classmates the opportunity to ride outside and learn proper bike safety. Sounds like fun right? Nope. Something so small and meant to be exciting, was causing me to panic. My friends have never seen me on my bike before. What was I going to say when I strolled in on bike safety day with my training wheels. I only thought of how different and separated I would feel. For a 1st grader, this feeling was the end of the world.

My training wheels needed to go. With the pressure of  everyone seeing my bike, I needed to let them go. I remember thinking that this is the first big change I’ve ever made on my own.

I went to my parents and told them all about my dilemma, they were more than happy to help.  We decided for one day during the weekend, we went outside and got my bike. Instead of running away and hiding behind the first thing I could find, I stood proudly in front of my bike as my dad removed the training wheels. I got on and steadied myself. My heart raced but my feet and hands were calm. My dad started to push before my feet even moved and suddenly I was off. The fear faded away and a relaxed mind came into its place. It’s crazy to think how quickly I learned something that took so long for me to even try. I was now riding on the same ground where I stood scared a week prior. My heart was bursting. I was no longer breathing heavy from terror, it was from complete joy. My feet kept a steady pace going around and around. My arms were bent over the handlebars. My grip tight on the handles. This was it, I had done it. I remember this moment being a big one in my life. This is the first goal I remember myself setting and completing. I had never accomplished something of this magnitude, something that actually changed me. I could look at a before and after and see a difference. My confidence soared. This was going to be the start of a brand new world for me. I was again in 1st grade, so this was a pretty big deal at the time. My accomplishment would carry me forth to a new realm of goals and wins that would grow my confidence. I was now ready to take on much more than bike safety day. This was a big deal to me as a kid because I realized that if I set my mind to something I could achieve it, this was the first time I had ever done something like this. I also became way more grateful for my parents and their endless support.

Bike day was a breeze, in case you were wondering, and I like to think my friends were impressed by my skills. I have been riding my bike fearlessly ever since and never looked back. I knew now that I could do anything and this one small achievement set the tone for the rest of my accomplishments going forward.