When I was starting this blog, I wrote about getting a pep talk from my younger sister. I told her after experiencing job loss, a death in the family, my Mom's illness and a break-up, I was feeling super blue and I didn't know what to do.She said she had the perfect solution: I should jump out of an airplane.
I thought she meant figuratively and this was going to be some great metaphor for life - like "letting go" or "stepping out of my comfort zone."
No, she meant, literally, I should jump out of an airplane.
When she went sky diving, it had made her feel unbelievably strong, spontaneous and fearless and she thought it would do the same for me.
I did need that feeling of empowerment but I didn't want to do anything that would make me say... die in the process. Sky diving looks dangerous! But the more my way of doing things - eating Cheetos and hiding under a "Hello Kitty" comforter was not doing the trick to ease my pain, the more I started to come around to her koo koo bananas way of thinking.
That's when I made the Adventure Bowl and started filling it up with all sorts of things I had never done before, things that would thrill me and make me feel happy again.
This past week I picked the only kind of sky diving I felt ready for out of the bowl. That's indoor sky diving. It was such a shocking blast! You suit up just like regular sky diving and take a safety class where no one makes fun of you that you are a control freak for needing a totally safe environment where there is no danger of plummeting to your death.
And then you step into this massive wind tunnel and get blasted up into the air in this huge, I don't know, 60 foot high container and you literally feel like you are really sky diving. There's even someone there to hold your hands and make sure you are A-okay.
And just as I was about to feel like I was the most awesome, fearless person on earth, I look out and realizing that this giant tube is totally clear - and realize that tourists are taking pictures of me and I probably look kind of ridiculous in my one piece nylon jumping suit and gigantic grin.
But I don't care!
It was just that spectacular and not very expensive and something I think everyone should do! It even made me feel bold enough to add REAL sky diving to the Adventure Bowl to be picked out somewhere in the future.
Except that time, I'll be holding my sister's hands and not a strangers.
This blog is dedicated to little sisters.
23 comments:
Yah, Congrats! I have learned that if i don't get it done in the morning, i won't get it done. So now i rollout of bed, grab my shoes and parade around the gym inmy Pj bottoms and a t-shirt. At first i was a bit nervous and thought I might be offending the all mighty fancy gym crew, but then I though- heck with them! At least i am here! Snowflakes and all!
Good for you, girl!
I pay attention to NO ONE at the gym. I'm a gym snob! :-0
Yay for you! I loved the quote you shared...I think that's going up in my cubicle as a daily reminder.
I workout at a gym on the military base I work at. Buff marines rule that gym...super intimidating, but also nice to look at. ;) I just figure that as long as I'm there "doing something about it" who cares what everyone thinks!
Great advice and awesome job! I definitely feel better when I'm working out regularly.
You're doing great!
Yay for you! actually i use the skinny bitches as inspiration. i tell myself that they were once blobby like me and only are skinny bitches 'cos they once did what i'm now doing.
and as for that big rubber ball, I have been frightened for a few weeks to go near it in case I do the same thing you did. You made me laugh so hard I think I might go do it on purpose!
8 lbs is a HUGE loss. Congrats to you!
I just started back at the gym last Tuesday. Since my ass has it's own gravity pull, I think it's definitely past the time to do something about it. The only issue is, i've been terrified to get back on the scale & see if I lost anything. Because if I didn't, i know it'll throw off my mojo. I won't want to keep going to the gym if i'm not losing weight even though I KNOW that eventually the lbs will come off.
I give you a lot of credit just for getting on that scale & committing to working out. Congrats!! xoxo Lindz
Adventure Girl,
I feel you are speaking to me! You were writing this blog just for ur old friend, Twinkle, weren't you :D jk. you are only going to the gym 45 minutes a dat 3x a week??? do u do mostly cardio? i could totally do that... hmmm interesting :D
i think this means that i have to go, scoot, and do it :)
much love to you AG!
XOXO
p.s. as a funny side- im sitting here eating mcdonalds... teehehe.
so I have to admit that I have been reading your blog for a while. I just want to say congrats! You also got me to start blogging.... again. Good luck with everything and I love the quote as well, it is giving the motivation (after a quick break) do get the mountains of work at my internship finished :)!
I just read the post about you posing as a bride to get free cake and I am dying... too funny. Love your spirit and your humor.
SWEET weight loss!! My gym is the great outdoors!! AND its free!!! But, seriously you are doing amazing! I am proud of you AG!!!
congrats on your loss - that is awesome! I have two tricks I use at the gym. First, I leave my glasses in the locker, so a) I can't see the skinny bitches and b) don't know if they are looking at my flappy arms. Second, to encourage me to get my butt to the gym - i pay for a YEAR in advance. It ain't cheap, but even after years of working out regularly, I still have to drag myself to the gym, and the idea that I am not getting my money's worth is more than this old tightwad can stand. While I am puffing away on the treadmill, I distract myself by doing the math of how much each workout costs. Keep up the good work and thanks for the inspiration!
Congrats! I haven't been to the gym in a while, but when I do go, I don't really care what anyone thinks. Yay for us!
Awesome job on the weight loss. No one ever wants to get on the treadmill next to me when I'm doing intervals - one minute I'm jogging, the next going all out arms flailing, treadmill creaking, looking like I'll fall off the back any minute...then stretching on the treadmill gets me REALLY weird looks...so I'm used to it. I'm there to get my workout in, not to impress any of the other people there. Glad more people are realizing that it doesn't matter what some people you aren't ever going to talk to or spend time with think of you. :) Love the blog, I just read more than I comment!
This is awesome! You're such an inspiration, I just love your adventures. I'm starting my bowl 2day!
WOW! now thats something i want to do! ive always wanted to try that bungee jumping thing where they kinda catapult u into the air in a harness and its like being in a giant bungee cord. it looks SO fun but at the same time im sooo scared! and not to mention they video tape u looking like a COMPLETE IDIOT screaming and peeing ur pants on the way down. hehe! but i want to try this indoor skydiving thing SO bad now!
thanks for the boost! im leaving this post with a smile on my face :D
XOXO
That's sounds awesome! I don't think they let you actually skydive alone anymore. I think you have to do it in tandem. Strapped a professional and all. However, you never know, you might get strapped to some hot guy and get pushed out of the plane holding on to him. Sounds like my kind of adventure!
Okay what is the name of the palce that you did this? And do they have one on the east coast? Say in New York? If you give me the name, I'll look it up. I really want to jump out of a plane but I want to take baby steps. This sounds PERFECT!! You have comepletely inspired me to have my own "Adventure Bowl". I'm very willing to share info and fun events. I signed up for a trapeze class. I love the trapeze and have only done it once through an independent group but I've heard wonderful things about this school. It's called the NY Trapeze School but they have one in LA.
Here's the website:
http://losangeles.trapezeschool.com
Also - There's Shelia Kelley's S Factor. They give Pole dancing classes. You should check them out. Great work out (the mat work is similar to pilates)and they teach you a pole trick at the end of the intro! The intro is a shortened version so you can see what it's like before you sign up for a series to see if you like it. Super empowering for women!
http://www.sfactor.com/LA/
Happy Adventure Bowl-ing!!!
Laura
I have wanted to do that for so long!! I'm jealous =)
You should go ski diving!! It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. It was terrifying but I am so glad that I did it!
Hey one and all! The place I went to is called iFly and it's up on Universal City Walk in Los Angeles! I hope they have more around the country. Thanks for all your super awesome comments!
Speaking of adventure and inspiration, I finally got my motorcycle license last week! Yippee!!
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