I went skydiving—or, to put it more accurately, I voluntarily jumped out of a perfectly good plane. In early June, my 18-year-old son and I walked onto a small plane and strapped ourselves to two other human beings. Not only did we grab onto an absolute thrill, we learned some important life lessons, too.
I stood at the edge of the open aircraft door with my heart racing, in a state of forced meditative calm. In truth, it was more of an ‘I can’t turn back’ state of mind. It was a moment of intense anticipation and some fear. The wind whistled around me as I gave my son a thumbs-up — because Moms always go first. Suddenly, my tandem partner and I took some deep breaths, and leapt into the unknown.
Believe it or not, free-falling at 120mph is a completely blissful experience. You have no concept of speed, nor do you feel like you’re plummeting to the earth. Do you remember the last time you smiled literally from ear to ear to the point that your face hurt? I can confidently say that the previous times in my life were almost 22 and 18 years ago, when I saw each of my sons for the first time. As we soared in the sky, I was screeching like a loon about how incredible it was. This is free fall, and it is an exhilarating and transformative experience.
Both my son and I felt that our skydiving experience taught – or reminded – us of some important lessons about life, personal development, and well-being:
1. Don’t overanalyze: make a choice and commit!
There can be a million ‘what ifs’ with skydiving. The required waivers are definitely enough to make you overthink! Thoughtful assessment of any situation is essential, but analysis paralysis stops progress and action. I am proud of myself for completing something I’ve hoped to do for a long time. So really what I’m saying here is: decide – and commit.
2. Learn how to be comfortable with the uncomfortable
Skydiving makes you acutely aware that very often – if not, usually – the uncomfortable path in life IS living. Walking through discomfort heightens your desire to live each day to its full potential.
3. Stop fearing ‘fear’ itself
Once we were up in the air, I knew I would jump. I consciously decided to stop being afraid and just start enjoying the experience. This was just another example in life of the story in my head providing a negative false narrative. My self-defined fear was far scarier than reality.
4. Take time to reflect and enjoy the serenity
The few minutes after the free fall were indeed some of the most enjoyable minutes I’ve had in years. However, the calmness and silence I felt when the parachute opened were indescribable. This is the part where the experience speaks directly to your soul. It’s just you and the light flapping of the canopy above, and the incredible landscape below. You’ll look at your world above the noise and fractured way of life differently. All that stuff that is happening down there? It doesn’t really matter… not in the overall scheme of life. We are allowed to shed the drama and noise in pursuit of wholeness and happiness.
5. Relinquish your need for control
Control is comfortable, and let’s not kid ourselves—sometimes, we are all control freaks. I love a good plan, but the older I get, the more comfortable I am letting it all go. Jumping out of a plane is one of the best symbols of this, and one of the most liberating things I’ve done in 53 years. There are some things in life that cannot be controlled, and that is okay. In fact, sometimes it’s just spectacular to surrender.
6. Once you achieve one dream, conceive another
On the ride home, my son and I both had the same feeling: NOW WHAT? On to the next!
What is the largest life lesson?
Ultimately, why did I jump out?
I did it for love. It’s always about love.
At 10 years old, my son asked me to promise that I’d jump with him when he was 18. He turned 18, so I jumped.
As long as you’re true to yourself, make the jump for love: love for others and love for yourself. Grab onto the lessons skydiving can teach you:
and just, jump.
