In order to feel alive, one must truly live.
When I told people I was jumping out of a plane this weekend I was surprised that most of the responses I got were lacking in support or enthusiasm.
"Why in the WORLD would you want to do that?"
"I love your sense of adventure but that is something I'd NEVER do."
"You're crazy. No offense but I'm much happier with my feet firmly planted on the ground."
What if THEY are the crazy ones? The ones who never feel that rush? That exhilaration. The ones who never take risks because their fears consume them? I personally believe the latter. Because I woke up today more alive than I've felt since my last skydive almost five years ago.
Will Smith explained it perfectly when he talked about confronting his fears by jumping out of a plane.
He explained how fearful he felt after standing on the edge and looking down on death. But once he jumped, in the air, he realized that it was the most blissful experience of his life because he was flying.
Will goes on to talk about what he learned about fear at that moment. Stating that the 'point of maximum danger is the point of minimum fear', Will questioned himself about why he was fearful since there really was no reason to be scared.
"God placed the best things in life on the other side of fear."
AMEN TO THAT.
I told a friend skydiving was like the most incredible torture imaginable. Your skin feels like it's going to rip off your face, the air is filling your lungs with so much force it's hard to breath. Your adrenaline pumps all the way to your finger tips and your serotonin levels literally give you wings. It feels like LIVING. All the fear, all the anxiety, all the elation, all the pride, all the excitement, all the happiness....ALL busting out of your body from 13,000 feet in the sky as you zoom through the atmosphere at 120 mph.
It's unlike anything you could ever imagine.
But you will never know unless you face those fears head on.
This is me telling you to do it. To take that leap of faith. To jump and sprout those damn wings you were meant to utilize. Whether it's from a plane or just in life. You deserve to live the best days imaginable. We only have so many. Don't waste them saying shoulda, woulda, coulda. Live in the moment. Make that change and be the best version of yourself. Cause that person is a badass. And once your realize that, you'll be unstoppable.
xo, SJ