Kenyan media personality Janet Mbugua has opened up about a personal journey of courage. She recently faced her three greatest fears: snakes, crocodiles, and heights. Mbugua shared the experience with her followers on Instagram, revealing that the push to confront these terrors came from her sons.
The former news anchor visited the Nairobi National Museum Snake Park and the Two Rivers Ferris Wheel to tackle her phobias. She admitted that she had been avoiding these fears for a long time. However, her children encouraged her to finally give in and face them.
Panic at the Park
At the Snake Park, Mbugua came face-to-face with reptiles. She stood remarkably close to snakes and crocodiles. The experience was far from easy for her. She documented the visit, showing a raw and vulnerable side to her audience.
"I don’t think anything prepares you for standing that close to what terrifies you," Mbugua wrote.
The physical toll of the encounter was immediate. Mbugua described her reaction as she stood near the animals.
"My heart was racing, my whole body was screaming to step back."
Reaching New Heights
The challenge moved from the ground to the sky. Mbugua headed to the Two Rivers Mall to ride the famous Ferris wheel. The attraction, known as 'CK’s Eye', is a significant landmark in Nairobi. It stands at a height of 60 metres and is known as the tallest Ferris wheel in East and Central Africa.
For someone with a fear of heights, the slow rotation offered no immediate comfort. However, Mbugua chose to stay. She wanted to prove a point to herself and her children.
The Power of Staying
The media veteran found that the real breakthrough happened in the middle of the fear. She discovered that running away was not the answer.
"But I stayed, and something happens when you stay in it instead of running," Mbugua explained.
She noted that the fear did not disappear instantly. It was a gradual process of letting go. "It doesn’t fix everything overnight, the fear doesn’t just switch off, it just begins to loosen its grip, bit by bit," she said.
"Something happens when you stay in it instead of running."
Lessons Beyond the Physical
The experience led to a deeper reflection on life. Mbugua began to connect her physical fears to her professional and personal anxieties. She mentioned the common fear of not showing up well or not feeling like a "good enough" parent, friend, or business person.
Mbugua believes that tackling physical phobias builds mental resilience for other areas of life. "I just feel like facing the physical fears teaches you to be a little less afraid of facing the rest," she concluded.
Janet Mbugua is a highly respected figure in Kenyan media. She rose to national fame as a prime-time news anchor for Citizen TV. Beyond the newsroom, she is an author and the founder of the Inua Dada Foundation, which advocates for the rights of girls.
