Where does Yes take you? Part 5, YES takes me "Over The Edge"

Part of an ongoing project called, "The Yes Project", where I resolve to say YES more to opportunities that come my way.  Click here to see the other posts.

There is a small flaw with this "Yes Project" where in my friends all taunt me with "Oh say yes, you have to!" and suddenly I'm crawling through mud or hanging by a harness 32 stories off the ground. 

  

I was chatting with my friends at school and my friend mentioned she was going to repel down the side of the skyscraper the next day.   We all stopped and said, "Wait... What!?! Why?"  After she explained, my friend Chaton  said, "Sounds like a Yes Project for you... can we do it too?"  

I was familiar with the hotel and I didn't really remember it as being a tall one... maybe 6 or 8 stories. It wouldn't be so bad, I thought... 5 minutes of terror and then I could be on my merry way.  I was wrong, so very wrong.

 I was on the phone with one of the Ya Ya's when I first caught glimpse of people repelling off the 32nd floor of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel. I opened my car door and threw up, right there on Figueroa Avenue in Downtown LA. Did I mention I'm terrified of heights?  

We signed away our lives on a stack of waivers and then Chaton and I went up the penthouse to get harnessed up.  While standing around the plush suite, you aren't really thinking about what is about to take place.   Everyone is in a good mood, and they move you through it all really quickly.  Then there is that moment... where they ask you to stand on the edge to be clipped in and you realize.... You are 32 stories off the ground... what in the world am I doing?

I held on to the rope for dear life and slowly made my way down.   I would look down and see the tiny people on the ground and think, "I'm so very envious of them."  

There was comfort in having my friend, Chaton doing this with me.  Only she knows just how terrified I was. The crazy thing is there is only one way to get down, if you panic, they can't just open a window and pull you inside, you have to finish no matter what.   There is no plan B.  My whole life is all about Plan A and Plan B, this took me way out of my comfort zone in so many ways.   I thought I would lose my mind when a gust of wind sent me swinging sideways.   I just kept uttering, "You can do this, just keep going. You are going to be okay." 

 When I got to the bottom, there was a man who was there to help me out of my harness.  When my feet touched the ground, I grabbed him and hugged him as hard as I could.   My whole body was shaking with adrenaline, and when he started to pull away, I said, "Nope, not done hugging you yet."  I have no idea what his name was, but I held on to him for dear life until I felt my limbs steady enough to stand on my own. 

My daring friend who convinced us to do this, Moi, and Chaton

This was by far my most challenging "YES" project so far, but crazy rewarding.   The adrenaline buzz lasted for at least a day and a half and it is something that reminded me, "I can do anything."   This whole Yes project is all about making me step out of my comfort zone and embrace life.  So often I let my head interfere with opportunities, saying No is the easiest route in many cases, but when you say No, you just don't know what you are missing. Just say Yes!     

 A few links for you:
-The Over the Edge Boy Scouts of America Fundraiser - Join me in 2013

-Interested in doing an Over the Edge Event near you?  They do them all over the nation.

-Local Media Coverage 

-The Over the Edge LA Teaser Video