Sky bath – a cleansing of the soul

After nearly half a year with my feet on the ground, I’m happy to say I made a successful return to the sky this weekend – despite Mother Nature’s best attempts at keeping me grounded.

Early last week at physical therapy I was officially cleared to skydive. The caveat was that I had to feel really good to make a jump. Needless to say when I woke up on Friday and my shoulder was feeling a bit “crunchy,” I was concerned that my return would have to be postponed yet again. Luckily come Saturday morning the only pains I awoke with were the painful cravings to sky jump.

As I arrived at The Farm (which is my new home dropzone after moving to The South) the winds were not playing as nice as I’d hoped. The swoop competitors who were in town for the FLCPA swoop meet were grounded due to gusty winds, so that was my indication to keep my feet firmly plated on the ground.

So, I took the time to plan my first jump back, do some dirt diving, and even network a bit for Jump for Diabetes (more to come on that later). Once the winds stated behaving I got on the first load that would take me – an hour and 1/2 later. Lucky for me it ended up being the sunset load. Simple two way freefly, knee lock into sit, where I got to test out all those skills I refined in the tunnel over the winter. One foot dock and lots of smiles later it was time to pull. Thankfully, I decided to pull high as my deployment included a number of line twists that required some deep breathing and lots of kicking. All was good in the end.

The sky was wonderful and peaceful, it was the cleanse that I needed. It’s amazing how much lighter I feel after a good skydive. All my cares and worries are left in the door of that airplane and nothing else matters but the moment – it’s like a cleansing of the soul.

The rest of the weekend didn’t play nice wind wise, but lots of time was spent outside…I’ve got the sunburn and mosquito bites to prove it. All in all it was a great couple days and I can’t wait to do it again next weekend.

Love and blue skies!

Ashley

p.s. It’s been a while since you’ve seen one of these on my blog, but here’s a look at my first flight back!

Tattoo Stories

Most people who know me in real life, are aware that I have a couple tattoos. Those I’m close to know that I have 4, to be exact.

The two on my wrists are the most recent, the two on my left foot are from my college days.

They are all very different from one other, each telling it’s own story. One thing that all of my tattoos have in common – love. Each of my tattoos tells a story of a time in my life and represents something that I loved. My first tattoo in fact, signifies love (two intertwined hearts). My second tattoo represents music, as I spent from age 10-22 loving and playing music as often as I could.

My skydiving tattoo began simply with a closing pin and over time has evolved into a sunset with a bird, signifying the freedom I feel in the sky.

My left wrist is adorned with bright blue hearts, adjoined in the infinity symbol as a reminder to always have enough love for myself.

Though not all my tattoos represent things that are still present in my life, each incorporates an element from a time that made great impacts on the person I am today. And I believe, if I ever stop skydiving (for whatever crazy reason) that the tattoo on my right wrist would continue to hold the meaning that it does today. After all, skydiving taught me so much about myself, my strength.

Some people are not fans of tattoos, and though mine are small and dainty, even I get stares from time to time. But I don’t mind, really. I got my tattoos to share with others – to share the story of my life. Each time I talk about a tattoo it brings me back to that milestone in my life where so much importance was held on a particular subject.

As I said at the beginning of the post, each of my tattoos has one thing in common, and I’m reminded every day why I was put on this Earth – love. I’m a person who has so much love to give it’s almost disgusting. And I have a lot of passion for living a life that I believe in. And speaking of believing, I do believe that’s a pretty damn great combination when it comes to living life – love and passion. Then again, I’m a bit bias.

So tell me, what are your thoughts on tattoos? Whether you’re for, against or indifferent, you must have some opinion.

LOVE and blue skies!

Ashley

Channeling your passion

Sports like skydiving take a special type of motivation to keep going – it’s best described, in my mind, as channeled passion. Let me explain.

Like most things in life, there’s a huge learning curve in the beginning of skydiving. You’re always jumping, and when you’re not, you’re thinking about it, reading about it, watching videos. Your life turns into skydiving.

But then, something happens. You get comfortable (sorta). You’ve had a few years in the sport, got a few hundred jumps under your belt, been around the community, you know the people, the “types,” you’ve done most of the novelty jumps like horny gorillas and tubes, you’ve jumped more than a dozen aircraft, and you’re fairly comfortable in your skills.

It’s that channeled passion that keeps you going – past this first hump, likely of many, on the road to becoming an advanced skydiver.

A number of skydivers, at this stage, find a discipline they love and focus their love for the sport there. I, on the other hand, have had trouble doing so. Not only that, but let me tell you that bouncing between disciplines as (what I still consider myself to be) a beginner does nothing but slow that learning curve down a bit.

In order to channel your passion, you have to find that spark, that thing that keeps you coming back. Yes, freefall is definitely enough to keep me coming back on a regular basis, but is it enough to drive me to improve my skills? Sometimes a goal is needed – I know lots of 4-way kids who got their start because of a competitive itch – but some of us just don’t have that. Others dabble and one day fall into the discipline that was meant for them (no pun intended).

But sometimes, it just takes a bit of internal reflection to find what is really driving you. Maybe it’s ratings and instructing, maybe it’s competing, maybe it’s a dream to be invited to big-way invitationals, or maybe it’s just a drive to have fun. I definitely fall into the latter category.

Sure, I want to be good. I’d love to be able to do any discipline, any day of the week and keep up with the best of ‘em out there. Realistic without driving myself insane in the process? Nope.

For me, this sport is about recreation, relaxation and truly enjoying myself – stress free. I’ve found all these things throughout my time in this sport, so it’s the fun and pure enjoyment that keeps me coming back for more – and the last thing I need is pressure to be something. But, that’s just me.

I’ll leave the competing and instructing up to those who find their passion is best channeled there. I’m just going to be a kid in the big blue playground.

Love and blue skies!

Ashley

What it’s all about

When I talk about skydiving, with skydivers and whuffos alike, sometimes I can’t help but step back from the conversation to wonder what it’s all about. Thing is, when you’re a skydiver, or painter or writer, or whatever it is that gets you out of bed in the morning, there’s something deep down that’s driving you.

Listening to skydivers chatter on incessently about how great they are can seem like fingernails on a chalkboard to even the most interested audience. One thing to remember though, is that it’s not just that we like to hear our own voices go on and on about ourselves – though so often that is also true – it’s that we have a true passion for this sport.

It’s easy to get caught up in the madness of a dropzone, the drama and politics that come along with a group of highly connected, type-A personalities who are all working toward the same goal. Thing about that goal is this – you’re truly only fighting with yourself to get there. And I think that’s what I like most about this sport. If you’re good enough, and you practice enough and you put enough of your heart and soul into it, you can get exactly where you want to be.

For some, they crave the ability to be instructors – to get their ratings in order to give back to the community some of what they were given as young pups in the sport. For others, they are focused on getting invited to that next big way invitational. Others spend hours in the tunnel in the off season and bucko bucks when it’s nice out to get extra coaching needed in order to compete at nationals. And some of us just want to be good enough in our discipline to know that on every jump we’ll be a part of the formation and can keep on having a blast! Whatever the goal is, most of us out here have one, or two, or three – all of which include a desire to improve ourselves.

So, it’s not just about being on a record or being the “best” or even having trained with the “best,” but it’s about being your best, and really making something out of the passion in your heart. If that wasn’t the case, I can guarantee 90% of us wouldn’t be here in the first place.

Love and blue skies!

Ashley

Love and Skydiving

Not to be confused with Love and Yoga. (A little self-promotion there, as Chicago’s newest Examiner!)

If you’ve been following along it’s no secret that I’m passionate about everything in my life – my relationships, my job, my writing, even my sleep.

No, I didn’t forget skydiving in that list. But I’d think on a blog called Skydive Chick that goes without saying, right?

Anyway, there is a purpose for this post….

I’m not one to do things begrudgingly. If there are chores or things that I’m not looking forward to doing, I find a way to make them enjoyable: put in some headphones and sing and dance while cleaning the house/folding laundry, watch an episode or 5 of That 70s Show (or whatever sitcom I’m watching on Netflix at the time) while catching up on emails, take my dog along on errands – you get the idea.

I truly do believe that it’s possible to find love and enjoyment in everything you’re doing – I also think it’s important to do so. Think about it, if even the most tedious of chores can have some sense of enjoyment, then think about how much more fabulous those things you love (like skydiving) will seem.

I’m not going to say this is an easy feat, if you’re not used to finding the hidden treasures in the monotonous chores of life, it’ll take some practice. But, with consistent, conscious effort eventually it’ll become second nature. Of course, I’m far from an expert. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve put off sweeping the floors, knowing that my husband will do it (floors are my least favorite…I’ll clean the toilet any day, just don’t make me do floors). But now that I have a doggie who not only sheds but loves to tear up stuffed animals and leave white clouds of stuffing all over the house, the vacuum is something I’m becoming more accustom to. Of course, this is just one minor example.

So, this post didn’t go in the direction I originally planned, but I like how it’s panned out. Find love/enjoyment in the little things in life and you might be surprised just how much more love you can experience in the areas of your life that you’re most passionate about.

LOVE and blue skies!

Ashley

Just being yourself

It seems these days that so many people out there are trying desperately to be somebody, but I can’t help to wonder if it’s really so bad to just want to be me…

In times of loss there appears to be a lingering clarity of the mind, one that has the potential to help you see the type of life you want to lead. This happened with the passing of my grandmother back in June and I’m feeling that same sense again this week after attending another family funeral service.

Too often people live their lives for others – and I’m not referring to those who spend their days devoted to their families. Those who choose that path have found great satisfaction and fulfillment in committing to a partner and raising a happy, healthy family. This is nothing but admiral in my book.

What I mean is, we seem to be in an age where everyone wants to be famous – to be known for being the best in their field. Whether it’s skydiving or BASE jumping or their career, everyone wants to be the expert, and they want the world to know it and praise them for it. There are even people who are willing to become someone else, to take on a persona, in order to gain that publicity. I can’t help but wonder what’s so wrong with being yourself.

(Note: for some who haven’t been following along, I may appear hypocritical here, as I’ve been criticized in the past for trying to be “THE Skydive Chick.” But for any who know me, you’ll know I’m far from an expert and am here simply to share my thoughts and opinions, in the skydiving world and beyond. And please, call me Ashley.)

I know I’ve discussed this before in the context of skydiving, but I’m a big believer in embracing who you are. This isn’t to say that you can’t spend your days trying to become a better person, but you shouldn’t have to sacrifice what you believe in, and live a life that’s not completely supportive of those beliefs in order to become someone that others can look up to. It just seems to me that there are more people out there trying to be someone that they’re not so that others will talk about them and know who they are, rather than embracing who they are and living their lives for themselves.

Maybe that makes me different, not wanting to be all famous and stuff. We’ve all been asked that question: “if you could be rich or famous, which would you choose?” and hands down I’d choose rich. Who wouldn’t love to have all the money they want at their disposal. Fun trips, as much skydiving as you want, being able to work because it’s something you truly love doing rather than for the need of the paycheck, or even spending your free time volunteering. At the end of the day, you’ve lived your life for you, helped others where you can and you get to go home and live your life peacefully. Sounds pretty fab, right?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to judge. If people want to be known, to spend their lives striving to prove that they are the person they want everyone to think they are, then more power to them. As long as you’re not hurting me or those that I love along the way, you’ve got my thumbs up. But I do think there’s something to be said for living life on your own terms. Being who you want to be. Finding and living up to your own values. That seems like the epitome of a fulfilling life.

Then again, I’m just a 20-something skydiver trying to live my life with passion and understanding while sharing my thoughts with y’all over here in my little corner of the Universe – what do I know?

So I pose the question to y’all, is there something so wrong about just wanting to be me?

Love and Blue Skies!

Ashley

Living for the future

For the past couple years I’ve been the girl who has preached living in the moment. As a skydiver it’s something you can’t help but do – after all our sport, and adrenaline sports in general, tend to be live-in-the-moment activities that often translate to other aspects of life.

This is definitely a positive. However, I’m also a believer in looking toward the future a bit. Planning every now and again.

Here’s a scenario to help paint this picture for you a bit better.

A couple conversations with fellow female skydivers last summer got us to discussing relationships in the skydiving community; specifically romantic relationships. I’m a huge advocate for finding the person you’re supposed to be with simply by taking part in activities you love. Having a shared interest that you both have a passion for, especially one as unique as skydiving, helps the relationship flourish. (It worked very well for me!) Naturally, this has lead me to advise my single lady skydiver friends to take a look at the men around them at the dropzone for companionship. But, from what some of these ladies have told me, their male skydiver counterparts live too much for the moment and they want someone with an ability to also look toward the future, as they don’t want to just be the lady of the moment.

Touche.

Sometimes, these activities that have us living in the moment and craving the here and now, can be a hindrance when it comes to thinking long-term.

One of the lessons that spending quality time at dropzones has taught me is that there’s a need for balance. It’s not infrequent to find adrenaline junkies who are unable to comprehend, let alone practice, a balanced life. But with my other passions like yoga, photography and writing, I find that balance helps me keep my sanity in the otherwise nutty world of skydiving (you know, the whole being surrounded by type A personalities where half of them are walking around on ego trips all day).

Thankfully, having a husband (oh did I forget to mention we got married…) who lives a life just as full of passion as I do helps to keep me motivated in all aspects of my life. Lately, I’ve been spending more time getting excited about the future. Maybe it’s got something to do with the fact that I haven’t had freefall in my life for a couple months so I’m jonesing for a jump, but I think it goes beyond that.

By nature I’m a planner and a list maker, whether or not I end up sticking to these is a different story. Recently I’ve found that these plans are highly flexible, something that tended to be rather rigid in the first 20ish years of my life. You’d think that in your 20s it’d become priority to “settle in” a bit, into a career, a location, a family, and grow some roots so to speak. But I think anyone with an addictive personally – espeically those who channel that in a productive way – can attest to the fact that there are endless possibilities for the future, even things you likely don’t see yet.

So maybe I’m not as ready to grow us as I thought I’d be in my mid 20s – but why does there have to be anything wrong with that?

Sports like skydiving keep you young at heart. We’re all a bunch of big kids out there and the sky is our playground. Growing up seems a bit overrated when you look at it – but that’s certainly not going to stop me from taking a look at what the future has to bring. There’s oh so much out there to explore, both in the sky and on the ground.

Love and Blue Skies!

-Ashley

Perspectives from a wingsuit

Lately I’ve engaged in a lot of conversations about wingsuiting. It’s something that, when people find out you’re a skydiver, gets asked. “Have you ever tried one of those squirrel suits?’

That and, “do you BASE jump too?”

Though it’s not a discipline where I’ve focused too much of my energy, I am thankful that I have enough of a wingsuit foundation to be able to speak to it.

The first thing I always tell people is that, at this point in time, it’s the closest that we as humans can get to being birds. You’re literally flying your body.

Sure, you’re also still falling a quite a clip (or not, if you’re proficient and flying with massive wings that keep you up in the air for minutes at a time), but the added forward motion gives you an entirely different perspective.

One of the things I tell fellow skydivers about wingsuit flying is that it’s completely different from a traditional skydive. In my opinion, it is, aside from the whole jumping out of an airplane thing – that’s the same.

What’s unique is that the tiniest movements make huge differences – with a wingsuit on you can bend your fingers and you’ll start turning. It’s pretty incredible. During my first couple flights I simply thought about where I wanted to go and that’s where I went. If you’re a skilled skydiver with “bird-like” instincts, you’ll likely be able to pick it up.

What are bird-like instincts you ask? Hell if I know. But I’ve heard that on more than one occasion from experienced wingsuiters, so make sure you jump with one on your first try…they’ll let you know if you possess them or not.

Having talked out this discipline so much in the recent past, it’s something that I can’t seem to get out of my head. As much as I’m jonesing for some airtime this winter, what I really can’t wait to do is fly my wingsuit again.

Below is part of a video that I put together where I talk a bit about myself. It takes a look at what it is I really love about wingsuiting. As I’ve been promising a video blog for a while now and have yet to find the time to do so, this is what you get from our first meeting.

Hi!

Please excuse the fact that this is mostly about me…it was for a project where I was requested to talk about myself. But, at least you get my perspective first-hand!

So with that, I clearly can’t recommend this discipline more. It truly is an experience like no other.

Love and Blue Skies!

Ashley