A few weeks ago, I was out paddle boarding alone on a remote river in PA. I was having a wonderful and relaxing moment with nature. I saw ospreys above me and fish below. I had heard that I might be lucky enough to spot a black bear along the shore, or maybe a beaver near one of the beaver dams.
At one point, I thought it would be a good idea to paddle a little closer to one of the beaver dams. I started toward it and then realized that something was moving on the shoreline. It was a beaver.
I was excited and continued to paddle towards it, knowing that I would stop before I approached to try to take a picture. The next thing I knew, the beaver started growling and hissing at me. Before I could turn around, the beaver jumped in the water and started swimming toward me FAST while he held his head above water enough to continue the ruckus he started. HE or SHE WAS PISSED and did NOT want me heading toward the dam.
It took me a minute to turn around, but I did so as fast as I could. He was gaining on me and I had to work HARD to paddle fast enough to keep a distance between us.
My adrenaline was flowing and I was scared. I didn’t waste time aggressively paddling away while occasionally turning around to see where the beaver was. Eventually, the beaver retreated and went back towards his dam.
I sat down on the board and tried to regroup. How did I not become flustered and fall in? How did I manage to find enough strength not to just freeze up and let the beaver get me? As I caught my breath and felt the reaction in my body, I realized that my body had just experienced a flight or fight response. I research stress and physical reactions to stress and I have learned that everyday stress can cause our bodies to experience the fight or flight response, even when there is no danger.
In the case of the beaver, there was danger. I later found out that beavers have occasionally attacked kayakers, fisherman and paddle boarders…one story talked about a beaver that tipped over the paddle board and attached himself to a woman’s leg. I really needed that fight or flight response and it worked. I was able to flee, but only because my brain told my body to flee. Fighting would have been an option if I couldn’t retreat, but luckily, I didn’t have to go to that resort.
My takeaway was, that when I am stressed at work or at home, I am not in danger. My anxiety and stress is causing the fight or flight response, but I don’t need it. If I could use this experience to help me calm myself down when I am not in danger, I would be able to think through my situation and possible, with a little breathing and time, talk myself out of the response.
So, from here on out, I am going to try to think about this beaver experience when I start to feel those physical sensations.
I will ask myself, “Is this a beaver moment?” I have tried this a few times already and it does help. I need to pair it with journaling and deep breathing, but having a thought to ground me and give me a reality check is helpful.
Thanks to the damned beaver who helped me come up with a new stress beating strategy!
