Hanmer Springs; Bungee Jumps & Conquering Fears

Okay, this next post is one I’m so excited to write.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a pretty big fear of heights. Like it’s big. But I’m working on conquering it because I don’t like living my life being afraid of something so small.

Anyway, with this fear in mind, I went bungee jumping.

Bungee-ing(?) has been one of the top items on my bucket list for quite some time, right up there with skydiving and cage diving – yes, with great white sharks (maybe I’ll have a post about that one day). So I knew when I planned this trip to New Zealand that I needed to bungee, seeing as how NZ is the adventure capital of the world.

Knowing for months that I was going to jump was so exciting and honestly fear never came to mind until last night lying in bed and trying to fall asleep. My mind started to run and fears started growing and I honestly woke up at 5am unable to really fall back asleep.

To say I was a tad bit nervous would be putting it nicely.

But like I said, I don’t like being afraid of things so I didn’t let it phase me.

Until.

I stood on the edge of that bridge, looking down to the rushing water, with my arms stretched out wide to the world. 

I froze.

I couldn’t move.

Even though everything was ready and everyone was waiting, I couldn’t bring myself to fall.

I just shook and stared down.

..that was probably my biggest mistake.

I feel so bad for the guys at Thrillseekers Adventures because they had to wait literally almost five minutes for me to let it all go and fall.

They were so supportive and nice trying to cheer me on but it didn’t work.

I kept still.

Until..

I literally let everything in the world go.

Took a deep breath.

Looked up at the mountains.

And jumped. 

Water rushing at me, wind flying by, all fears gone.

I did it.

I willingly threw myself off a bridge.

Me – someone with a severe height fear.

I went for it.

Nothing can amount to how it feels to let go of all of your inhibitions and free fall to the rushing waters of New Zealand beneath your body.

Dangling at the end of the bungee, almost able to dip my hands into the water, I’d never felt more free. 

 I’d like to say my irrational fear is no longer in existence but I think I need to still keep working toward that.

I guess skydiving is up next.