I was afraid of flying. So I took a flying lesson.
How one brave choice helped me reconnect with who I really am — and what that might mean for you, in your own way.
It taught me about fear, freedom, and finding myself again.
Once I found out that my husband wasn’t the man I thought he was, and our marriage began to unravel, something shifted in me. I wanted to do something just for myself — something that was mine alone.
Flying had always fascinated me, but the thought of it terrified me. And whenever I mentioned it to him, he would shut the conversation down.
For years, I had been the wife, the daughter-in-law, the peacemaker — the one who held it all together, even when I was falling apart inside. I tiptoed around other people’s comfort zones, avoided conflict, and let fear decide for me.
One day, I decided to stop asking for the permission I didn’t need. I drove to the nearest flying school, parked outside, and just sat there for a moment, watching the small planes take off and land. I could almost feel what it would be like to be up there — light, free, unafraid.
Spontaneity kicked in – without overthinking it, I walked in and booked my very first flying lesson.
Eventually, it was my turn to get in the cockpit. My heart was racing, my palms were sweaty, and a dozen reasons to cancel rushed through my head. But I didn’t.
From the sky, with the world stretched out beneath me, I took a photo and sent it to him – and honestly?? It was my way of saying loud and clear, “Stuff you. You really don’t get to tell me what I can and cannot do anymore.” But more than that, it was about showing myself that I could do anything I put my mind to – if I truly believe in myself.
And I loved every single moment of that flight — the hum of the engine, the rush of air, the way fear gave way to exhilaration. The idea that I was even flying! I loved that feeling. It was truly liberating.
After a life-shifting experience like divorce, you can find yourself asking: Who am I now? What am I capable of? Is there more to me than the roles I played before?
That flying lesson wasn’t about ticking a bucket-list item. It was about answering a quiet voice inside that whispered: You’re more than you think.
It made me wonder — what else am I capable of, if I just try?
Finding Your Own Version of Flight
I’m not sharing this to tell you to do something big or dramatic. Your version of flying might be:
• Saying “no” without guilt.
• Leaving a situation that no longer serves you.
• Starting something new, even when the outcome is uncertain.
• Speaking your truth for the first time.
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it’s a whisper, a pause, or one small, brave step.
But every time you choose yourself, you rise!