First there was my bucket list. I just returned from the doctor’s clinic where I was told of a shocking news: there is “cancer” brewing in my body.  That evening, the movie “The Bucket List” which stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman was on. The two great actors portrayed terminally ill men on a road trip with a list of things to fulfill. Now that I have this “health opportunity”, I told myself it would be nice to make my own bucket list.

Instead of succumbing to surgery and chemical infusions right away, I went to Optimum Health Institute in San Diego, California – a holistic healing center that promotes body, mind and spiritual wellness.  There, I met a few new friends who invited me to go on outdoor adventures. During the course of our conversations, I mentioned skydiving not knowing we were in the vicinity of a skydiving school, Parachute Center. And four weeks after my diagnosis, there I was making a freefall at 13,000 feet high!

Check out my AWESOME skydiving adventure video below:

3,960 meters above ground, 60 seconds of freefall at 270km/hour, four minutes descent with a parachute, it was indeed a dive of faith! As one website puts it “Skydiving is probably the most dangerous and toughest of all the extreme sports. What began as a weird imagination of the inquisitive minds in search of human’s ability to fly, is today an established form of recreation and also extremely satisfying experience for the adventurous”.

This happened in 2008 and I am blessed that I am still well today. So what will make you go for the jump? Here are seven reasons why:

1. Skydiving is a leap of faith, literally.

After a  nerve wracking wait and a few minutes of lessons, I went to the plane. All I do is to take a leap of faith and jump. It is good to trust your instructor and find one who will make you feel at ease. Chris, my 6-foot tandem skydiver said it was his 13th jump for the day, so I felt he sure can get me through this.

2. Skydiving beats all amusement park rides.

I can’t even contain myself from screaming on top of my lungs. It was pure joy and bliss. Imagine you are in a roller coaster, but it’s three times the adrenalin rush!

3. Skydiving can teach you to overcome your fear.

I fear heights, I fear jumping, I even fear high slides, and did I say I fear roller coasters? Was I afraid at the time I jumped? Yes I was! I was afraid, but I jumped anyway! Skydiving taught me one important lesson, and that is to do the things that I am afraid of.

4. Skydiving makes you feel truly alive.

The pilot will not wait for you to change your mind. You got to jump when it’s your turn to jump. When it was finally my turn, note that I was the only amateur female skydiver, the most petite and the cutest too (hahaha), my only choice was to go through the open door. And when I did, I felt the gust of wind, the strong breeze – I was one with the clouds. The sun above me, the ground so small below,  I never felt so alive.

5. Skydiving relives your childhood wanna-be.

We all wanted to fly like Superman. Once I was up in the air freely floating, I felt like a child playing super hero – but this time truly flying! I was soaring across the clouds, on top of the horizon, the trees, the buildings, watching cars moving below.

6. Skydiving makes you a conqueror.

With every core of my being, every inch of my body awaken and floating up in the air, I experienced a bird’s eye view of the world. I was flying like a majestic eagle, on top of the world singing my heart away with a deep sense of gratitude. I am proud to have conquered my fear and accomplish such a great feat.

My instructor thank me in fact for making one of the most empowering and enjoyable jump for him because I was singing all the way down. Typically Jhet.

7. Skydiving reminds how precious life is.

My daughter told me there were fatalities in skydiving. I know that there is a chance for things to go wrong. But after that “smooth” touch down and giving my tandem a big thank you hug, I am reminded that I was just given a second life. That experience made me want to live better.

As a word of caution, skydiving is not for everyone. If you have a heart condition, it is best to wait until your doctor says so. There are also weight limitations. You may want to check it out with a skydiving school.

Would I do it again? Sure, when opportunity arise. Better yet and hopefully with my two daughters when they are ready.

What would you do today if you were brave? Skydive? I appreciate your answers and comment.

There are perhaps a thousand success advice that we can take from the Internet, books or conferences. We can pick one and put it in our head, but the key is to actually apply it continuously in our lives until it becomes a habit. In 2011, I picked out 10 lessons that I promised myself I will consciously put into practice. I tell you that these work because it did work for me in 2010. So here goes:

1. Practice appreciation. Have a sense of  gratitude for what you already have and you’ll find yourself more at peace. What’s best, more blessings will come into your life!
2. Learn how to accept “what is”. Accept your present situation, limitations, and capabilities. Take the lessons, and learn how let go. I once heard of this saying “A bird once came into my life, my mother said let it go, if it comes back it’s yours. If it doesn’t it was not meant to be.” This is so true in life.
3. Take a stock of life and do what’s most important. Prioritize whatever you believe to be true for you. If today is the last day of your life, what would you prefer you would do and who do you want to be with?
4. Smile though your heart is breaking. At times you will be challenged, your world will seem to be crashing down. Rest if you must, weep to let it out, and then smile. Trust that it will eventually sort itself out and everything will be all right. Nothing is permanent, “everything shall pass.”
5. Have a sense of wonder and adventure like a child. “Unless you become a children of God you will not enter the kingdom of God”. We only live once, do what you want today and do not worry too much about tomorrow.
6. Do what’s hard. Speak your truth and what’s true deep inside your heart. Worry not what others may think and have judgment of you. What they think is their issue not yours. In the end you are the only one who will be accountable to yourself.
7. Be decisive, take action and trust divine intervention. Big things in life happen when we take the plunge and jump over the fence. We only regret the things we did not do, not so much the things we do. Do it now!
8. Nurture yourself and fall in love like never before. “Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all” as the song goes. Unless you love yourself you can never love someone else. Savor the miracle of love just like the first time you fell really in love. Everything else are in vibrant colours. So why not color your life now and continue to share with others too?
9. Meditate, be at peace, and live a life of flow and ease. There is nothing like living in love, peace and joy.  Radiate love everywhere you go.
10. Connect to the past, live in the moment and let the event and circumstances unfold. Past is history, future may never happen, you only have this moment. Live the life you imagine now. Live your life today for tomorrow may never come.

So before the first month of 2011 ends, I hope that you will take to heart the importance of giving life the best of you – not tomorrow but today, the here and now.

So what are you going to do to make it happen for you this year? Take your passion and live and create the life you want. If you can imagine it, and believe on it it shall come to pass. We create our own life and that moment is now.

Cheers to the best of 2011! May all your wildest dreams and wishes come true because they do. Sending you my big hugs!