Fall from Grace
After more than 55 jumps, Grace is still terrified. And yet, she jumps.
by: Grace Simpson / 5 minute read
What are you afraid of? Most people have a deep-seated fear. Insects. Heights. Small spaces. As for me, so many things scare me! I hate haunted houses. I’m terrified of mountain biking. But the thing that scares me most is meeting new people and making new friends.
I didn’t know that jumping out of planes would help me overcome my social anxiety. But it did.
When I first came to Moab, I didn’t intend to get into skydiving. I wanted to do one jump and throw my own parachute because it sounded so cool. On the drive to the airport the morning of my initial jump, I remember thinking, “Either I’m going to die or this is going to change my life forever — maybe in a way maybe I don’t like.”
After my first jump, I knew I had to go up again.
The first six jumps, I made terrible exits and fumbled through the sky. I was petrified. I was so clumsy. I looked like I was trying to swim through the air! Every time I would say, “This is the last time. I’m just gonna do this one more time. I hate this!” But after I landed I’d feel so empowered, that I’d schedule my next jump. By my 15th jump, I finally wasn’t petrified.
Mindfulness started to transform my fears. After my first few jumps, I became super mindful of my altimeter and read it the whole way down. It kept me focused and gave me perspective. As long as I was present, I was alive. Sounds simple, but not so easy when you’re leaping into thin air.
But it was the people who befriended me during my time in Moab who really helped me find the strength I didn’t know I had. Everywhere I went, the community was not just welcoming, they were encouraging and inviting. The skydiving community there rallied around me. They knew what I was experiencing as I first learned how to jump.
In time, I accepted that I was the kind of person who was brave enough, bad-ass enough, and capable enough of doing whatever I set my mind to do. Earning my sky diving license gave me a sense of self-worth. I was braver than I thought. I discovered I was composed of much more fascinating material than I gave myself credit for.
Skydiving helped me believe in myself. Most of all, skydiving changed the way I relate to other people. I don’t have to be scared of other people. We are all just doing the best we can.
By the time I left Moab at the end of September, I’d made 55 jumps —and lots of new friends. Indeed, my life had changed —in ways I love.
Today, I’m not any less scared, but I’m more aware of what fear looks like and how to find peace when trying to overcome it. Best of all, I’m no longer afraid to take a leap and make new friends.
