aparently I don't like stairs either

I started today with confidence.
I started today thinking "I am going to go into that building and show it who is boss!". I was so determined to do well, that when I didn't my frustration shot way up. I really don't know how I got so confused on the stairs. Well, it all started with assuming the stairs were in one place and internally freaking out when I realized they were actually somewhere else. When I found them I felt like there was a giant hole next to me and I came within inches of falling into it. Once that happened I lost all orientation, my 'string' became detached from my 'point'. It really showed me how even when I was trying my hardest to calm down, move on and stay focused, my brain still just shut off. I felt anxiety physically take over me today. I knew I needed to be confident and walk normally, but I couldn't. I was shaking every time I put my foot out to find another step, which made it really hard to walk. And no matter how hard my mind told my body to snap out of it I just couldn't. It wasn't until I reached the bottom and had a moment to regroup and reflect that I felt like I could go again.
Once I had a little more success, going back up the stairs and down again, I felt better. From that point on things were less scary...until I collided with some kind of doorway or pole.
Thank you Katie for saving my face! I would have thanked you profusely if I had realized Micky really was saying 'good job Katie' and not being sarcastic. A bruised knee is better than a broken nose, so I appreciate your quick reactions.
A weird thing I noticed today that I had never thought of before was how strange it was to use a new cane. I did not realize how accustomed I had become to mine, it's feel, the sounds it makes, it's weight, even the way it bounces off the ground in 2-point touch. The rigid cane today did give more feedback about the ground, but it was almost too much feedback. I kept getting out of step because the cane was so bouncy. It felt like I had a bouncy ball tipped cane! This will be important when working with students in the future, to understand if they have issues at first with a new style of cane. On that note I'm going to call Ambutech right now...