BE BRAVE, BE BOLD!

Skydiving. What?! Aadila, you went skydiving?

Yep, I did! Three years ago, right in the middle of the COVID-19 craziness. You’re probably wondering why I’m only writing about it now. Honestly, I didn’t think this was a story I’d ever share. But here we are, and I can remember it like it was yesterday.

It all started when I felt stuck—like really stuck. I had just finished matric, started my first year of uni, and thought I’d be living my best campus life. Instead, I spent my days in front of my laptop, at home, craving some sort of adventure. That’s when the idea hit me: “Mom, for my 19th birthday, I want to skydive.”

Now, if you know me, you know I’ve always had this huge fear of heights. So naturally, my mom thought I was joking, or maybe having some weird birthday meltdown. But guess what? The next morning, I woke up to an email: “Thank you for successfully booking your skydive with Johannesburg Skydiving Club.” It was real. My younger brother—ever the rational one—immediately called my grandmother, telling her how irresponsible our parents were for letting me do this. Let’s just say I spent that week dodging dozens of “What are you thinking?!” phone calls.

But no regrets. The day arrived. My dad, trying to get a laugh, kept saying, “I’ll give you R1000 if you actually jump. You’ll chicken out.” Spoiler alert: I didn’t chicken out. If you know me, you know I don’t back down from a challenge.

Fast forward to me being strapped up, sitting in a plane 11,000 feet above the ground. The adrenaline was insane. They counted down—1...2...and jump! And just like that, I was free-falling. It was the most unreal feeling. All the stress, all the things weighing me down...gone. I felt weightless, like nothing else mattered in that moment. I could scream as loud as I wanted, and no one would hear me. It was just me, the sky, and the wind.

So, why now? Why tell this story three years later? Well, if you’ve been following my blog, you know it’s not just about the adventures. I want to share things I hope my future kids will read one day. Today, at 22, I felt like this was something I needed to write for them—and for girls like me, who might need a little courage to take that leap.

This one is for all the girls who are told they’re too cautious, too afraid, or not capable of stepping into spaces that challenge them. We’re often made to feel like we shouldn’t take risks, like adventure isn’t for us. But I’m here to tell you: It absolutely is. Whether it’s jumping out of a plane or stepping into a new chapter of life, you deserve to take up space, to be bold, and to go after what thrills you.

I don’t know if I’ll have kids, or if they’ll read this, or even if I’d let them jump out of a plane. But what I do know is this: I want them to stay true to themselves, no matter what. Don’t change for anyone. Be brave. Be bold. Stay grounded in your beliefs, and don’t be afraid to be who you are.

At 22, I’m still figuring that out for myself. I’m still learning how to be confident, how to love myself, and how to stick to my values. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from all of this, it’s that it’s okay to take a leap—whether it’s out of a plane or in life. You’ll find your wings on the way down. And girls, we deserve to fly just as high as anyone else.

yes, I used ai to make int sound better (rolling eyes emoji)