Ali Swift

💙 15 years ago today, I jumped out of a plane.

13,000 feet over Fox Glacier in New Zealand. 💥

Would I do it again? Absolutely not. 😂

The views were incredible, it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences… yet I hated every second of it!

I felt sick the whole way down, was physically sick when I landed and, in all the panic and adrenaline, I completely forgot how to land properly. I put my legs in the wrong position and an ambulance came racing over because apparently that’s one of the quickest ways to break both your legs.

Thankfully, I didn’t.

NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN.

Yet got a great pic 🤣

We often think that if we face our fears, we will have the best experience and everything will magically work out. That the fear disappears. That we’ll feel amazing afterwards. That we’ll get exactly the outcome we wanted.

Yet that’s not always how courage works.

Sometimes stepping through fear is messy and sometimes it makes you feel sick. Sometimes it doesn’t go to plan and sometimes you just don’t enjoy it.

Yet every single time, you learn something about yourself.

You realise you’re stronger than you thought. You prove to yourself that you can do hard things… and you collect evidence that fear doesn’t have to be in the driving seat.

This photo has reminded me of that for 15 years.

Not because I loved it, but because I chose courage anyway.

That’s why this year I chose to say YES more and stop playing so safe and sensible.
Yes to opportunities.
Yes to experiences.
Yes to making some really big personal decisions.

Have I questioned myself? Absolutely.

Have I felt uncomfortable? More times than I can count.

Have I nearly sabotaged? Definitely.

Have I got it wrong? Yup!

Yet every time I’ve chosen courage over comfort, I’ve learnt something. I’ve grown. I’ve become a little more me.

Maybe that’s the gift on the other side of fear, not always the outcome you hoped for… but the person you became because you were brave enough to take the leap.

So whatever leap you’ve been talking yourself out of… this is your sign to stop waiting and take it…

#fear
#skydive
#sayyes
#growth
#mywellnesstoolbox