Number 22 - Skydive

Feel the fear and do it anyway! This has become my mantra born from the moment I chose to jump out of a plane! 

Skydiving over the Palm Islands in Dubai was actually the first thing I did on my 35 at 35 list a year ago today.

I was right in the middle of my ‘mini meltdown’ of feeling like I’d not experienced so many things I wanted to by the time I’d turned the age of 35. I kept thinking, ‘what exciting stories of my life experiences would I have to tell my grandchildren some day’? And I couldn’t think of anything! (Insert panic attack).

Now...saying I’d jumped out of a plane? Now that would be a pretty awesome story to tell. But was it brave and inspiring? or irresponsible and foolish? To put myself in that kind of risk. And more so, did I actually have the courage and guts to do it!

So as it was the beginning of the ‘year of yes’ and in my state of being positive, embracing new experiences and pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I decided to do it. 

At the end of September last year, I had already planned a trip to go visit my best friend who had moved to Dubai earlier that year. And where better to do a skydive than over the Palm Islands.

We arrived in Dubai after an overnight flight at around 11am. Everyone was so tired and fell asleep at the villa whilst I needed to head off for my jump at 1pm. So yep, I went alone! 

Whilst I waited to be called I watched others around me get kitted up with their harnesses and briefed by their instructors and all of a sudden a wave of fear hit me. I hadn’t told my family I was doing it and I kept thinking what if something went wrong? and that would be the first time they would hear about it. 

I wanted to cry and had no-one to turn to for reassurance or comfort. So I hid in the toilets and let the tears flow. I had to let the emotion out, to mentally deal with the situation I had chosen to place myself in. A few deep breaths later, I calmed myself down and went outside to the warm Dubai heat for some fresh air. 

Whilst I sat on a bench outside overlooking the ocean, above me I could see the same people coming back from their dives, gliding through the air whooping and cheering and when they landed, they had the biggest smiles of joy on their faces. And this was all the reassurance I needed. I wanted to experience the same!.

So when it was time, I got prepped and briefed whilst the photographer took my ‘before shots’ and we then headed over to the plane in a buggy. My heart was racing and I was unusually quiet with a nervous shaking leg, but Alex my instructor was amazing at keeping me distracted with small talk and the odd Dad joke. 

There were around 18 of us packed into the smallest plane, 6 jumpers each with an instructor and a photographer to accompany them. 

The door was open the whole way, with the deafening sound of the wind as we climbed up to 13,000ft. I was the fourth to jump and watched whilst the three people before me just disappeared out the door and the plane seemed to feel lighter. 

Strapped in tight with Alex on my back (it’s very intimate!) we got to the door, my heart racing...the photographer told me to focus on her whenever I saw her to get ‘good pics’. She was stood in front of the open door facing me, signalling me to keep my eyes focussed on hers. Before I knew it she’d jumped out backwards whilst Alex pushed his weight forward and that was it!....we were out into the air!

I felt like I wanted to scream, but the air literally took my breath away. The wind hitting every part of my body at a thousand miles per hour, the most exhilarating experience I can’t even put it into words. 

After around 30 seconds of freefalling, (and trust me it feels like longer), the parachute was released and then we were just floating, flying, gliding through the air. Taking in the views of the sky, sea and land below. Overlooking the Palm Islands Dubai.

As we descended back I could see my friends like little dots waving their arms and cheering for me back down below. And I was so overcome with so much emotion I cried - again! But this time for joy and not fear. 

This has to have been by the far most terrifying but most amazing experience of my life so far. Simply breathtaking, both physically and emotionally.

I felt the fear but did it anyway!

And since then whenever I feel any kind of fear or hesitation, my skydive is a constant reminder that if it isn’t sacry it’s not worth doing! And that ‘yes’ I can! It’s all about having the right mindset to embrace new experiences, focus on the positives, and you can do ANYTHING! 

If I can jump out of a plane at 13,000ft I can do ANYTHING!