I already wrote a ficlet for the phobia challenge, but that was fiction.
I’m writing of real fears I’ve overcome.
As a little boy with 3 older brothers who pretended to be sharks, one of them pulled my legs and I went under (it wasn’t deep and I was in an inner tube thing, so I wouldn’t have died ), it traumatized me from the water.
With encouragement I finally got in a pool, I didn’t drown, then the ocean and on a boat to fish was the next obstacle I conquered.

I was afraid of dogs and flies ( and flying in planes), bees, snakes, all irrationally. So I made myself a pet dog; he didn’t bite.
I was in a room with at least 50 flies, {don’t ask}, I had a swatter so I was safe from harm, the buzzing sounds were horrible, but I survived.

At a family reunion picnic ( which I flew to across to Midwest for) with many bees, I handled it with courage.
I put a snake around my neck ( even paid $5 for the privileged).
I feared ladders and heights, but now I paint.

If I can surmount my many fears, anyone can.