Challenging your own limits. Big or small, is no easy feat.
Aimee here again this week with VoyEdge RX to talk about the most adventurous thing I have ever done!
Now, before I begin, you should know that until the last 4 years or so, my idea of adventure was staying up past 9:30PM on a school night (I know…I’m pretty wild). Anyway, as some of you may know, I married my high school sweetheart, Marc Young, this past summer. We got married in Sanibel, FL and honeymooned in Saint Lucia!
The resort we stayed at in Saint Lucia gave us the opportunity to try a plethora of water activities, including scuba diving. Marc and I talked for weeks about scheduling a lesson since it was something we had never tried. I was excited, but I would be lying if I told you I was thrilled beyond belief at the thought of scuba diving…I grew up as a member of the town swim team for years (that’s where Marc and I first met when we were 8 years old!), so being in water isn’t an issue, but the idea of all the creatures swimming around with us freaked me out!
So the day finally arrived for our scuba diving lesson! There was one other newlywed couple in the lesson, so the four of us sat through the hour-long video that proceeded to tell us about all the ways we could die if we made a mistake. Needless to say, my excitement shifted to anxiety pretty quickly, but I pushed that aside for the time being, knowing we still had plenty of time to practice in the pool.
The instructor fitted us for our gear and we moved onto the pool lesson. I have always been an excellent student, so this went by without a hitch, but as we started packing up the boat to go out into the open water…a feeling of fear started to creep through me. I exchanged a look with the other newlywed couple and could tell they were feeling the same way as me.
Saint Lucia is absolutely gorgeous
We were all in it together though…these strangers, Marc, and myself. I was putting my trust and my life in a random instructor’s hands in a place I barely knew anything about. What was I thinking?! Why did I ever think this was a good idea? What if I missed something important in
the lesson? These questions were swimming around my brain and consuming me as our boat skimmed along the beautifully clear blue Saint Lucian water.
Marc continued to ask if I was okay, and I assured him I was, trying to believe it was true. I have always had a strong mental game and am able to push negative thoughts away when I need to, so I tried not to think about what we were about to do.
We arrived at the scuba diving spot, put our gear on, and exited the boat into the water. I had never been in the middle of the open ocean, and the swells felt like they were 10 feet high. Marc helped me get my mask and mouthpiece in place and before I knew it the instructor was signaling for us to make our way underwater. The water was warm, but I could feel my body cover with goosebumps and begin to shake.
Marc and the male from the other newlywed couple started to go down first with the instructor, but the other girl had her mask off and told me she couldn't do it. I signaled for everyone to come up, and the girl had tears in her eyes as she made her way back over to the boat.
She couldn't do it. I signaled for everyone to come up, and the girl had tears in her eyes as she made her way back over to the boat.
Once she was safely aboard with the boat driver, the group started the journey again underwater. It was my turn and I couldn't stall any longer. I grabbed hold of the rope on the buoy and deflated my vest, just like we practiced earlier. My head submerged, I looked down, and I couldn't see the ocean floor. I could hear my loud, deep breaths through my mouthpiece quickening...and I panicked. What if I submerged too quickly and burst my eardrums?? What if my tank broke and I ran out of air?! What if my goggles filled with water and I couldn't clear them? What if a shark came and ate me?!
I was only about 3 feet under the surface, so I kicked quickly back up and spit out my mouthpiece. The instructor and Marc emerged from the water and asked if I was okay. I thought to myself that this was my chance to get out of it! I could easily just join the other girl in the boat, relax, and soak up the sun. All I had to do was say the word! But I knew deep down that I was capable of doing it, and that I WANTED to! I would regret it if I didn't do it.
I told them I was fine, that I just had to fix my goggles, and I was good to go. I slowed my breathing and I followed Marc down the rope. I was still a little weary and shaky as we got to the bottom, but when we began swimming around looking at the fish, I thought to myself, “Hey...this is pretty fun!!! Look at me, I'm scuba diving!!!” The instructor lead us around the ocean floor, pointing out cool fish and fish/lobster traps. Some Saint Lucians were eating well that night!!!
When it was time to go back up, I was wishing we had more time to explore! I had a feeling of excitement and giddiness as we all talked about what we saw on our dive. I sat back and smiled while the boat whisked us back to the resort, feeling proud for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new. I had done it!
Anyway, I wanted to recount this story in particular because I believe in the power of experience...what does it take to get out of your comfort zone? What happens when you do? The answer is that you find a lot more about yourself than you ever could have imagined. Get outside of the box, push yourself into uncomfortable situations and I know you'll thank yourself for it when you do.
Those types of experiences and feelings are what VoyEdge RX can give you! We are here to test your limits, travel the world, and give you the encouragement you need to check things off your bucket list.