~During my travels to New Zealand I met a wonderful girl named Benedetta from Italy. The two of us decided that we would both jump out of a plane together in Taupo, a town on the shore of Lake Taupo in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand. http://www.taupotandemskydiving.com/

Skydiving was something I always wanted to do and since I had someone to go with I just could not pass up the opportunity. Nerves were sharp, butterflies ruled my stomach and my palms were so sweaty I could have filled up a glass. That was the day I experienced the most exhilarating feeling I’ve ever felt in my entire life. So why do I think YOU should jump out of a plane to?

Well here are 5 reasons:

1. To overcome fear– Fear is something we all live with. Whether it be a fear of small spaces, a fear of spiders or even a fear of talking to people. But let me tell you, if I ever had any previous fear of heights… well that fear was crushed when I jumped out of a plane strapped to a stranger. Not only can I say I am no longer afraid of heights, but I can also say that I would do it again in a heartbeat just to feel that crazy rush all over again.

2. To experience something completely different– Skydiving is like no other feeling in the world. Bungee jumping, skiing, skateboarding… you will never feel the same intensity as you will jumping out of a plane. OK maybe something like cliff jumping would be even crazier… maybe I’ll try that next? 😛

3. To push your own limits– Everyone has their limits. You may be sitting there shaking your head thinking, “Nope, I could never do that!” But what if you did? What if you went against everything your mind was saying? What if you ignored your fears and doubts and just went for it?? Which brings me to my next point:

4. You gain strength and trust– When you jump out of a plane something incredible happens to you. I can’t really put into words how it felt… you just have to go do it… but I can tell you that when I hit that ground again I felt like I could conquer the world. Not only did I gain strength as a person but I learned to trust myself to go experience life. The overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and self-worth you gain from pushing yourself to the limit is indescribable.

5. You come back to earth– Talk about ‘The Ultimate Grounding’ experience. When your breath is shallow and your heart is in your throat, your body tenses up and you freeze like an iceberg. Letting go of that feeling… well that happens part way down. You don’t actually think you’re going to live. But you do! When the air hits your face like a thousand tiny prickles and your eyes water so much that you can’t see a thing, that’s the greatest rush. But when you finally hit the ground once again, your mind and body come back. Within one minute it’s over and you feel more grounded than you have ever felt before.

In the end, after it was all said and done, I could honestly say Skydiving was the single most sensational experience of my life. Aside from all these wonderful things, the number one reason you should go jump out of a plane… is to say “I did it!” 🙂

So go jump out of a plane!!