There’s a post buried somewhere in this blog—long forgotten, long unseen—where I confess my feelings about car washes. My grandma found them entertaining. I, on the other hand, have always found them mildly stress-inducing.

So naturally, as a newly appointed Ambassador for the Wylie Area Chamber of Commerce, I chose to attend my first on-site ribbon cutting… at Club Car Wash in Wylie.

I knew what was coming.

A car wash.

Step one? Admitting my fear.

I confessed this to my fellow Ambassadors and the friendly team at Club Car Wash. To my surprise, no one laughed. In fact, they assured me I wasn’t the first person to feel this way. (Comforting… and slightly concerning.)

I watched as my friend, Leona Harder from Logotology, bravely approached the entrance. I studied the process like I was preparing for a final exam.

I can do this. Maybe.

By the time we completed the ribbon cutting—and I proudly signed the ribbon—I had started to acclimate. Still, I had questions. Important ones.

“What if I get stuck?”

Logically, I knew I wouldn’t. But emotionally? I needed to ask.

Then came the moment.

I looked at my friends and declared, “I’m going in.”

They cheered. (Which, in hindsight, felt a little like sending someone off on a heroic quest.)

Step one: aligning the car. Easy.

But then… complications.

Put the car in Neutral. (Who does that anymore?)

Take your hands off the steering wheel. (Excuse me, WHAT? This is counter to everything I’ve been taught.)

At that point, I took a deep breath and surrendered to the process. Feel free to watch the harrowing video footage.

There were bubbles.
There were lights.
There were gentle scrubbing machines doing their thing while I sat there, fully aware that I was no longer in control.

And you know what?

It was… fine.

Better than fine.

By the time I rolled out the other side, I was pretty sure I had grown at least a foot taller—with a sparkling clean car to prove it.

Thank you to Bri at Club Car Wash for the free wash, the patience, and for helping me face something that felt much bigger in my head than it was in reality.

Dale Carnegie said it best: “Once a decision is reached, act!”

I made the decision to face my fear—and I wasn’t leaving until I followed through.

Turns out, sometimes the hardest part isn’t the thing itself…
It’s simply deciding to go in.

And if you’ve ever needed a nudge to take action—whether it’s facing a fear, growing professionally, or simply stepping outside your comfort zone—I can’t recommend the principles from a Dale Carnegie course enough. I’m always happy to share more about my experience.

And if you’re looking for a welcoming community that encourages connection (and occasionally nudges you into unexpected adventures like this one), the Wylie Chamber of Commerce might just be your place.