Sally Says: Facing Fears
Posted on May 7, 2012 by Natalie in In Photos, In Words, Sally Says
Sally knocks it out of the park once again with this piece voicing the fears we face when starting something new, unfamiliar and intimidating. But more importantly, she gives us a glimpse at the greatness that can come from taking a risk.
Earlier this week, I decided it was time. Time to take my curiosity and desire of shooting into my own hands. I’ve loved shooting
The lovely and talented Miss Hope.
ever since riflery class in summer camp back when I was 10. But unless it was camp, or a guy friend of mine who owned guns and
could take me out, I didn’t have a clue where to go. Or what to do. And I was scared. And felt stupid. And years passed in between shooting, so every time felt like the first time.
“Can you just go to a shooting range with no knowledge of guns?” I asked myself . “How will I know what to do?” “What if I feel like a total idiot?” “I wish I could find some guy to take me out and show me what to do.”
This has always been the situation. I’ve always wanted to rely on guys or someone else to show me how to do something that I want to know, but I’m scared about. And this time, that’s where I decided to change the story. I decided it was time to take on the
responsibility myself. I want to learn dammit…and I’m GONNA, whether you’re with me or not.
So I clicked around and did some research and found Girls With Guns (http://www.gwgsi.com/), who had a beginner’s handgun course FOR ladies, taught BY ladies. SCORE!
Amazing instructors at http://www.gwgsi.com/
Easy…right?
Well, it scared me still. “What if I sucked?” “What if I was intimidated at the range?” And all those messages replayed in my mind like a record. I woke up in a panic the day after I bought the ticket for the course, and daydreamed about how I was going to call in
sick. And this continued up until the morning, when I went to the range.
But I did it…and this is what happened after:
It was 2 pm, on a sunny but not too hot Sunday afternoon. I pull out of the range parking lot, on to a windy road, and then finally to the main road that led to the 210 freeway. Country music on. Windows down. And I could not have felt more…ALIVE.
For the past four hours, I had been at a beginner’s handgun course. Taught for women, by women. The instructors were two police officers. Nice, charming, funny, and totally badass. The rest of the girls that were there ranged from a trio of sisters who all owned their owned guns and had gone shooting with their husbands many times before, to the Australian woman who had never seen or touched a gun and was kind of scared them.
Sally getting her shoot on with Girls With Guns Shooting Industries.
By the way…this woman was the best shot of the entire day.
We shot 9mm, a .357 revolver, and a 12 gauge shotgun. We learned safety, and proper handling, and proper shooting. And I learned more that one day than I had ever learned in all my other times shooting – combined. And I felt grateful for this class, and proud of myself for going.
Leaving the range that day, all I could do was picture my future revolver sitting in my car. Shiny. Nice. In it’s case. Feeling badass. Feeling feminine. Completely competent. Unafraid.
And as I was driving along, wind in my hair, smile on my face, I realized I learned four things from this experience:
1) Guys aren’t the only ones who can teach you how to do things that guys normally do.
2) Don’t rely solely on others for your happiness. Must take matters into your own hands.
3) What you want, wants you, and there is always a way to find what you need.
4) Shooting guns, and being safe about it, is totally awesome.
What are your beginner shooting stories? What was it like the first time you went to the range alone? What life lessons have you learned from shooting? Leave a comment below and share your stories.
From one Gun Girl to another…I salute you.
Sally Hope, The Unconventional Traditionalist, is a Blogger/Love and Life Coach who loves hot-pink lipstick, guns, crosswords and cowboys. A former Rockstar (http://youtu.be/jpgCAkSHxNQ), she has taken her show from the stage to the road by traveling around the US in an RV while coaching her clients and inspiring people to live their own Rockstar Lifestyles. Her latest obsessions include traveling, country swing dancing, motorcycles, LOVE, chips and salsa, and adventuring. Whatever it is you are wanting in your life, she will help you get there faster. You can find her at her website (http://sallyhope.com) or her Facebook page (http://facebook.com/xosally) Twitter (http://twitter.com/sallyhopesays) or getting ridiculous on her YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/sallyhopesays)
Seems like the principles of conservatism to me. Welcome to the club.
Hey, kudos to you Sally…for both doing what you did AND for writing a great article about it!
I also grew up loving shooting because of my wonderful grandpops. He was an avid hunter and a helluva great man. But then came my teen years and no girls shot guns!
I became interested again years later when I inherited a few of my grandpa’s special guns and remembered shooting with him. It was time….
I was by then married to a farming man who grew up with guns his whole life. A perfect person to help me get started again. Safety safety safety. Got me my first gun, a SW .38 Special. But it was too hard to shoot for me. It’s a cool gun, but not the gun for me.
Then got a small .32 that was easier to carry, but accuracy wasn’t great for me. I had taken the CC course in my community and obtained my permit, but the course was mostly men and taught by men. They were great, but I just never felt quite comfortable with my shooting and didn’t want to hold up the rest of the class. So mostly I was practicing occasionally out at our farm.
Recently, I took a course offered by a larger Public Safety Training Center and taught by NRA Certified Instructors. It was THE BEST course I have ever taken….I learned more there than I could have imagined! AND they had some volunteers there to help when it was time to shoot. One was a petite female…I was SO happy to have her there on the range. I had problems with the grip because my hands don’t fit a Glock like a mans hands. She was so helpful and so encouraging. She really wanted me to succeed and I could feel it. So I did great and have been going to the range with a female shooting buddy I met in the class. We go every week and I’m planning to start going alone on my free weekdays.
You see, I’m an “older” shooter, 58 years old. And most of the folks in the class were way younger. Even my female shooting buddy is young enough to be my daughter. So I sometimes feel a bit “slow” when it comes to getting all the details straight. But I’m a seasoned nurse and I know how to be organized in my thinking. It’s just that it’s all new and I need time to integrate it.
So….I’m learning and loving it. Have started trying different guns at the range to find the right fit for me instead of feeling like I should be able to fit the gun! Taking my time before deciding on what to buy.
I love that there are more women shooting these days and hope to get some of my “fraidy-cat” “older” women friends to join me on the range. AND I’m planning to take more advanced courses at the Training Center…. Such a great feeling…and yes, I still feel like the lady that I am!
Thanks for writing a great piece that really tells the story from our perspective….and thanks to the guys who support us!
Hey Connie…WOW! What an amazing story and thank you so much for sharing. I completely understand how you felt. There is just something different about being taught by women. It’s just a bit less threatening and more spacious. Guys have been great (don’t get me wrong fellas) but women know what women need.
I’m so glad you got the help you wanted and it sounds like you get to form your own relationship with shooting now. HOW FUN!!!! I hope you keep in touch with me and let me know how it’s all going.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Best,
Sally