Seeing Life from Above

Recently, I went on a hot air balloon flight. I’ll be honest, it was a cold November day, slightly drizzly, and I had a million things I could have filled the day with. In all honesty, I didn’t want to go, but as it was a gift, I went.?

I dropped off a friend on the way, and as she left the car, she said, ‘If you’re feeling moody about it, then think, what if this was the last time I ever get to do this thing?’ I immediately reframed my thinking and switched to focusing on all the wonderful photos I could take – I love photography – even if I didn’t enjoy the experience itself.?

Sadly, this was short-lived when I realised I’d left my phone with its great camera at home. Now I had no directions and no ability to take the photos. My mood returned. Luckily, I remembered where the launch site was, and I had to remind myself that this used to be the only way we actually got anywhere before sat nav! I had to stop and ask for directions – when was the last time you did that??

Finally, I arrived, feeling a bit stroppy and moody about the whole thing whilst also feeling immensely ungrateful. This is not a good look on me.?

Once there, the instructor had a great sense of humour, and chatting to others lightened my mood. After lots of preparation, we were up! There was little wind, so we hovered over a racecourse and motorway. It wasn’t hugely inspiring, to be honest. All my memories of Instagram photos of beautiful balloon flights drifted away with the cold. Suddenly, it went completely white and freezing – we had drifted into cloud. We were all muttering about what a terrible day it was, and then suddenly, we popped out above the clouds to a beautiful blue sky, warm sun, and a blanket of white cloud as far as the eye could see.?

There was silence as we all took in this incredibly beautiful sight. It truly took your breath away. The only sound was the occasional burst of flame into the balloon, but other than that, complete peace. Instantly, we were all glad it was a cloudy day so we could see such an awe-inspiring sight in the truest sense of the word.?

Suddenly, it felt like all my worries – all those unimportant things that I’d been fidgeting with in the corners of my mind – just dropped away. My shoulders relaxed, my mind emptied, and I had that feeling of being recentred. Only the truly important things remained. I instantly wished my children were with me to see this amazing sight. I immediately felt my humanness and my mortality. One day, I would not be here to experience this beautiful planet. It made me fully appreciate all that I have and all that the world offers us while we are here.?

I truly think we need to seek out experiences like this, especially when it feels like the world is on top of us, and we don’t know how to manage the pressures we are under. For me, they happen when I’m as alone as possible or with someone I love, out in nature. They are moments when I see mountain vistas, blankets of cloud, or a sunset. I rarely feel this with something man-made. I feel clearer about what I want from my life and my business. It all becomes clear.?

It was during such a moment on the top of a mountain in Innsbruck in the summer that I realised I wanted to write my new book about how wonderful it is to be happy alone and how we can help people achieve it. It suddenly just appeared in my head. I knew without a doubt that I wanted to travel more, meet more people, and have more fun. I didn’t have to struggle to think about issues I was having – the answers just appeared.?

When was the last time you were truly inspired and connected? When did you last give yourself a sight worth silence? If you can’t name it instantly, then please stop and book yourself a small trip to somewhere that takes your breath away. It could alter the course of your history.?