Column #57 for Blue Skies Magazine… seriously? Seriously.

One of these days I’m going to compile them all into a book and sell it. 2015 is the year for that for sure. Ahhh, so exciting just writing that! 😀 And of course I will write new sections/stories/pieces to add to the bigger-picture, longer-term story of me and my skydiving. 🙂

Actually, I might as well ask.. who of you all would buy that book when I do publish it?

Regardless, thank you for all your love and support over the years and as we roll forward in this life.

It’s all epic, I say. :)))

Love,

 

---

---

Blue Skies Magazine, April 2015

Life Coaching Column #57

Issue #64

“Weird”

By Melanie Curtis

……………………….

So I just did something that for me… is totally weird. I just went four months without jumping out of an airplane.

..

WHAT???

..

Yeah. I know. That is the longest break I’ve taken in the last 15 years of the total 19 I’ve been skydiving. Basically since I’ve really been able to afford skydiving and do it whenever I so chose. I so chose a LOT.

..

So for me to have more than, honestly, like 2 weeks without jumping… super different. The reason I’ve had so much time away from the sport recently, as most of you know, is because I went on a world tour. Sorry, I mean, I went on the World Tour. Sorry, I mean, I went on the #WMFT.

..

Funny thing is that over half of the WMFT I traveled with my friend who is from Boston. Boston has snowy winter. Snowy winter is apparently not the best skydiving weather. Every time I announced during our travels, “I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve jumped,” he would comment on how he literally didn’t jump for 6 months… EVERY YEAR.

..

After enough instances not getting it, I finally got it…………..

I’m the weird one.

Hahahahaha awesome.

..

I love that on so many levels. Why? Well, because it’s always funny to have a moment of realization about yourself. But more because being the weird one… is SO GOOD.

..

Being the weird one has you stand out. Being the weird one has you uniquely experiencing life. Being the weird one opens doors of unique opportunity because of what you uniquely offer different than the indeterminate masses.

Being the weird one is SO GOOD.

..

As skydivers, we’re all the weird ones in broader society. Sure, some people don’t like us. They don’t understand, and sometimes people fear what they don’t understand. We’re too weird. It’s cool. The opinions and perceptions of those who fear such difference.. such uniqueness.. doesn’t take away the goodness that comes with it.

..

The goodness is autonomous from any opinion. It just is.

What’s awesome is that a lot of people do get that. A lot of people see the beauty in weirdness. See the huge value that comes in being different.

I’m glad we’re different.

I’m glad you’re different.

I’m glad you’re you.

..

In my moment of realization traveling around the world NOT skydiving for the first time in a LONG time.. I got that one of the things that makes me weird, is how intensely and copiously I have focused much of my life on our great sport. How that intense focus and time spent separates me from many others. Makes me weird. And is one of my great values.

..

What about you… what makes you weird?

..

The more we can see our weirdness as the value it is, the more we can appreciate who we are. The more we can embrace and encourage ourselves to be ourselves. And the more we do that… the more we grow into our unique greatness. … Weird. Tizzle 2.0, out.

..

(*Like my page on FB to follow all my posts from skydiving and the WMFT.)