Item #170. write down my fears and negative thoughts on paper and burn it

Yes...I did this.

I thought it would be easier than it actually was.

I spent about an hour writing down every negative thought, every bad thing, every word that I could think of that has ever held me back.

The list got really long really quick.

I read it back and was almost shocked.

You'd be surprised how much that stuff adds up. But I told myself I would NEVER let any of these things hold me down again.

Then I rather unceremoniously went outside in my back yard with a lighter and lit the sheet on fire.

And you know what...I don't know how much it will change things, but hot damn (no pun intended) it felt awesome.

This is what it looked like: (collaged from some video stills)

So chalk another one off the list: 170. write down my fears and negative thoughts on paper and burn it

New Items

Here's the next batch of feats to be added to the list:

First I switched out #4 - see a space shuttle launch with fly Virgin Galactic. (check out the link http://www.virgingalactic.com/)

Next I added...


163. Stay in the Underwater hotel in Dubai
164. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years
165. jump in a fountain
166. ride a camel in the desert
167. hunt for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas
168. listen to all the songs on Rolling Stone's top 500 greatest songs list (2010 version)
169. tie a note to a balloon and let it go
170. write down my fears and negative thoughts on paper and burn it
171. go to the Kentucky Derby and wear a big hat
172. 10 city foods*
173. attend a red carpet film premiere
174. build something awesome out of Legos

* the 10 city foods was an idea I had before but I finally nailed down a list. the challenge consists of eating foods with cities or states in the name, in the actual place. So the list is:

-Philly Cheesesteak in Philly
-California roll
-Buffalo wings in Buffalo
-Denver omlette
-Seattle's Best Coffee
-Texas toast
-NY Cheesecake
-Boston cream pie
-Memphis bbq
-Kentucky Fried Chicken

So that's the new list. And the web series is in the beginning stages, so stay tuned.

Two ideas

I have come up with two ideas concerning this blog...

1. I would like to eventually--as I cross more things off the list, put entries and things into a book form.

and/or

2. Use the list along with some other fun things that may not be on there as the catalyst for a video blog/web series

I've been tossing both ideas for awhile, but what's really prompting this is that I'm really seeing how these sorts of things are prompting others to really get into life and making things happen. It changes things--for me personally. I want to be able to inspire others to pursue the things they want out of life. So...that's where I'm going with this. I'm going to spend some time today seeing which is more feasible and update accordingly...

Item #27- Part 2...CHECK

So...

I DID IT!!

I threw myself out of a moving plane at 13,500 feet.

IT WAS AMAZING.

I have to say, I wasn't nervous. I had so much FUN. The instructors were fantastic. The weather was perfect.
I convinced a friend of mine to go with and we took the drive down to the West Point office of No Limits Skydiving--these guys are great!!! very experienced. Matt (The head of the company) and Dallas were our jump team.

They got our gear together, ran over some quick instructions and then took us across the road to the airport. The whole time we were relaxed and joking--singing in the car actually.

And then... we loaded into the smallest plane I have ever seen or been in (if I had stretched my legs all the way out I probably could've touched the front and the back of the plane at the same time...lol) and we took off. We talked over top of the engine noise--still laughing and joking. This is probably the only point where I got slightly nervous because I was told at some point I was going to have to turn myself around (and I'm slightly clausterphobic...go figure...lol).

So we climb higher and higher and I'm able to get a good idea of the view and the layout...and THEN...I hear the pilot counting down as we get within range of the drop zone and they pop the door open. I now have to turn my body around with the door of the plane open.

I jumped first!

Matt helps me pull my goggles down and then tell me to swing my legs out of the door (HUH??? lol) and try to put them on the step...The wind was blowing so hard my legs were going SIDEWAYS.

Before I could get them down we were falling through the sky.

My eyes were open. We were free falling (at 120 mph mind you). The air was so cold I could barely catch my breath (if you see the video--you can clearly see me trying to pull air in). BUT IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.

It wasn't scary like a rollercoaster drop...it felt more like floating in slow motion. Matt pull my hands to the side--I was flying!

And before I knew it...he pulled the cord and the chute went up...

We probably spent the next 7 minutes or so coming down. You could see the rivers and the the trees and the houses. I saw my friend who had jumped right behind me pass me on the way down...apparently my instructor and I got caught in a horizontal wind so we were going side to side instead of down (the end result being I got some more time in the air). I just took it all in---threw my arms out when I could. We were finally able to catch a breeze going down and made a very gentle landing on a gravel target. (It really was gentle--like sitting down...I landed on my butt, on purpose!)

I think all I could say for about 15 minutes was the word "awesome!" Really there was no other word in my vocabulary for it.

After, we packed up the gear, drove back to the office and it was all over.

So...

Item #27 is now complete. Thank you to my homie Dava for jumping with me! And definitely BIG THANKS!! to Matt, Dallas and No Limits Skydiving for the BEST experience << HIGHLY RECOMMEND THESE GUYS!!!

I'm loading the video now so I can post it.

PS yes...I wore a SUPERMAN shirt...what else would I wear? LOL

and here's the video (skip to about 5:30 for the jump): 

Item #27- SKYDIVE

So...

I'm going to do it... TOMORROW!

No bs. I finally found a place I'm comfortable with and I'm going to drive down there tomorrow and hurl myself out of a moving plane (WTH am I thinking...lol). I've talked a friend who's just crazy enough into doing it with me...hoping she doesn't chicken out on me. I am getting a video so, I will be posting it as soon as I have it.

Wish me luck!

PS... I even bought a Superman shirt to wear...how about that!