I would say that’s among the questions I have been asked more often – and understandably so. There are the most obvious and concrete fears, such as that of an injury or some other unforeseen serious event. They are definitely deep, visceral fears because they concern my own safety, but I can’t really get rid of them – and perhaps it would even be harmful to do so, as someone who has studied neuroscience or psychology would tell me.

Among the fears I believe (and hope) I can work on there’s definitely that of having to rely only on myself, on my own strength (mental and physical) for a fairly long time. What will happen if I’d have to surrender or let go? If an external circumstance would show me that all my skills are like blunt weapons?

There is the fear you feel when you realize that you are extremely vulnerable, despite everything you know or have. And it takes very little really: sleeping alone in a tent in a place you don’t know, perhaps during a thunderstorm, or having to traverse an environment that’s immediately hostile to you.