Facing My Fears 14,500 Feet Above The Earth

The fear of falling or the feeling of flying? The choice is yours.

Has fear ever kept you from doing something that you really, really wanted to do?  Fear has hindered me at times, but in this post I will be sharing memories from a time when I faced my fears.  The result was an unforgettable experience that was both exhilarating and peaceful.

Want To See The Video? Of Course You Do!

 

So what do you think after watching the video of my sky diving experience?  Ready to jump?  If not, continue reading to see if I can change your mind about jumping (figuratively jumping).

So What Is It About Jumping Out Of A Plane?

Why do people want to jump out of a plane?  Conventional wisdom and good ole’ common sense would probably vote against jumping out of a plane every single time the thought pops up.  Why? Because people don’t have wings. People can’t fly! When a person jumps from a plane, the person literally falls through the sky, and no wings equals crash, splat on the ground if something goes wrong with the parachute.  Yikes! Now that I have painted that dismal picture, why would anyone be crazy enough to want to jump from a perfectly good airplane?

Skydiving has been on my bucket list for years, but I am mildly (maybe even a little more than mildly) afraid of heights.  When I went to the Willis Tower Skydeck, I was the person who had to crawl on hands and knees onto the glass to get a picture while sitting.  I could not force myself to stand up on the glass ledge.  (Just thinking about it makes me nauseous.)  So how could a person who can’t stand on a glass ledge ever be able to jump from a plane 14,500 feet above the ground, and what on earth is the appeal for wanting to jump from a plane? Honestly, I had always heard of what an amazing experience it was to skydive, and I wanted to push myself to see if I would actually go through with it.  Falling through the sky, air rushing past your face without a care in the world, a chance to experience something most people only dream of – how could anyone not want to do this skydiving thing? Continue reading to see the progression of how things went down.

Hurry Up and Wait

At first glance, one would think I had been skydiving before.  Huge smile, eager to board the plane — This girl must be a total Superman-style jumping pro.  What you do not see from the video or my photos is the fact that this was not my first time preparing to go skydiving.

I was invited to go skydiving by a friend who told me about an event called Falling for a Cure.  The event was created to bring awareness to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and raise money to find a cure.  When I heard that I could support finding a cure for MS by jumping from a plane, I was all in.  Now my aspirations of skydiving had a greater purpose attached.

As you may have guessed, skydiving is not something you just show up and do.  Lots of preparation goes into it even when you are doing a tandem jump. Signing waivers, watching instructional videos, getting properly strapped up into the gear, and waiting for the perfect conditions are all part of the process.  The first time I went to the jump site, I along with my brave friends waited hours only to be told that the winds were too strong for us to jump that day.  I was thankful that we did not jump in bad conditions, but I would be lying if I did not admit I was also disappointed. I had mentally prepared myself to jump from a plane for PETE’s sake.  Seriously, think about how you would feel if you had imagined yourself standing at the open door of a plane, convinced yourself that you were not crazy for wanting to jump, driven hours to the site, allowed someone to put you in a harness, waited all day in a grassy patch on an airfield only to be told, “Nope. Not today. Too windy.” Needless to say by the time I was able to go back to do my jump several months later, I was READY!

 

The Ascent

After all that waiting, I was ready. That’s what I thought until, I was in the plane directly next to the open glass door watching earth get farther and farther away.  What the heck was I thinking!? What ever made me think that jumping out of a plane was a good idea for someone who is afraid of heights?

As the group continued to go upwards, we were given regular updates as we hit 9,000 feet, 10,000 feet and so on.  I signed up for 1 minute of free fall which meant jumping at 14,500 feet! Go big or go home right?

I was teetering back and forth between thoughts of “this is amazing” to “I can’t do this” the entire way up, and just when I was back on the “this is amazing” side of thinking a guy training to be an instructor did a full twisting roll outside of the plane and then disappeared in an instant. This thing just got REAL!

 

The Point of No Return

This is it! The moment fear normally overtakes you and you back out of whatever thing that was probably the worst idea you have ever had.  Luckily for me and the others on the plane, we had already been told that if we entered the plane, the only way we would make it back to the ground was by jumping.  Under no circumstances would we be allowed to fly back down with the pilot.

Believe it or not, I had no problem once it was time to go.  I got up from my seat and walked to the edge of the door waiting for the 1, 2, 3 count to jump.  Was it bravery that got me to the edge of the door? Maybe, but that’s not what I remember feeling.  I remember feeling intense calm (unlike when it’s time for me to give a presentation), thoughts clear of any negative energy, and at that moment where I was looking down at the earth, I was not afraid.  To be honest, the ground was too far away for me to have a concept of how high up I was. So on the count of 3, I fell forward exactly as planned.

 

0.2 Seconds of Fear

Now take a few seconds to really analyze the photo above.  The guy strapped to my back is cooler than a fan while I’m holding my breath and seeing my whole life flash before my eyes!  I honestly do not remember feeling terrified after I jumped, but it is clearly written all over my face in the picture.  As silly as it looks, this picture is one of my absolute favorites because it sums up perfectly how we all feel when we are doing something that stretches us and pushes us beyond what we think we are capable of.  It also serves as a reminder that the best things in life are usually just beyond our internal fears and self doubt.

 

Free Falling At Its Finest

Since skydiving, I have not experienced anything that compares to the feeling of free falling.  After the half second it took to adjust, my mind was clear and for 1 full minute, I didn’t have a worry in the world! The air rushing past me was cool and calming; I felt so alive and energized.

Free falling takes the expression “on cloud 9” to a whole new level, and the perma smile that was on my face the entire time speaks for itself.  The picture above and the remaining pictures below represent that just beyond the bend moment that all of us are looking to achieve when we set out to do something that challenges us.  Remember to take inventory of your past achievements not as a source to be boastful, but as a reminder that you CAN do whatever you set your mind to do.  Blood, sweat, tears, and a good ole kick in the butt are sometimes necessary, but you can do, be, and accomplish whatever your heart desires.

 

 

Easy Glide For A Soft Touchdown

The free fall was followed by the most relaxing and breathtakingly beautiful parachute glide back to the ground.  It was like being a kid swinging from a giant swing set. It gave me a totally new perspective and an understanding of why some people are obsessed with trying to achieve the feeling that birds must experience while soaring through the sky.

Maybe this post does not make you want to run out and sign up for sky diving anytime soon, but I hope it inspires you to think about what’s just beyond your fears.

Let me know what you think.  Share your comments and thoughts on skydiving and facing your fears.

If for some reason you passed on watching the video the first time around, here is your chance to see me falling through the sky!