September 24th is the anniversary of my sky diving adventure.

It was a spontaneous decision. Following an adventure-filled haze of a summer spent abroad, I returned home with the remainder of my "fun money" and a desire to not return to the norm; daily routine seemed boring after exploring so many new places and faces. I entertained myself with paddle boarding and running new trails in my hometown, but it just wasn't enough. Then one night, as I scanned my Facebook, I saw it: pictures of a friend, skydiving. I instantly felt a rush and without a moment's pause, texted my boyfriend: "Would you go skydiving with me?"

The experience of sky diving was one I will never forget, but it was more than just an experience; skydiving taught me a lot - before, during, and after the jump. In the midst of a restless phase of my life, leaping thirteen thousand feet was what I needed to help teach me more about life and about myself.

1. Asking someone to leap out of a plane with you shows who your real partner-in-crime is and how much a person loves you.

When I initially asked Steven to skydive, his answer: "Hell no." After a bit of pestering, he finally agreed. In the time leading up to it (even during the car ride to Indianapolis) I kept asking: was he scared? Would he back out? He always responded with a snarky, "No, because you're going to back out first!"

It was during the video seminar that I first realized what a champ he was. The moment occurred when the host of the seminar somberly stated, "You could die from this activity." I looked over at his face to see it was a faint shade of gray. When I asked if he wanted to back out, he still replied, "Not if you don't want to." Despite the snarky comments and morbid video, he still got on the plane with me and made the jump. No questions asked.

2. The quote "The sky is the limit" doesn't even touch the accuracy or irony of the statement.

On the flight up, I knew it was going to be high. I knew that I would be falling 13,000 feet with only another human strapped to me. I was fully aware of this fact the entire time- but I wasn't aware of how high up we were going to be. When my camera man turned to me -camera lens focused on my face, smile partially obscured- and asked, "How do you feel knowing we are only halfway up to the total height?", I looked out that tiny window and felt regret. Major regret. At 6,500 feet, the earth was blurry, and the houses and cars were minuscule. Another 6,500 feet? Was that even possible?

3. Sometimes, spontaneity will come back to bite you.

The few moments where I dangled on the edge of the plane, with the cold wind whipping around me and the earth below in a bluish haze, I thought to myself, "This was a huge mistake." I wanted to turn to my instructor and tell him I couldn't do it. There was absolutely no way that I could make this jump. Why in the hell had I decided to do this? Adventure? No thanks, how about solid ground?

4. But most of the time, it turns out to be totally worth it.

The free fall was terrifying. Veins appeared in my neck I didn't even know existed from screaming so hard. After the pulling of the parachute, though, the adrenaline kicked in; I couldn't stop laughing. My instructor, amused at my hysterics, allowed me to guide us back to earth. So maybe the spontaneity bit me when I was about to jump - but man, the gliding, the peace, and the descent totally made up for it.

5. Limits and boundaries really are made to be tested and broken.

If you had told me two years ago I would willingly leap out of a plane, I would have laughed at you. I'm not afraid of flying, but I'm also not a huge fan of totally open heights. It was a fear I had and a boundary I had constructed. After making the decision to skydive, I came to realize and appreciate how our ability to overcome boundaries is greater than we realize. Those experiences help you overcome fears and become stronger in your ability to handle the things life throws at you - whether you're comfortable with them or not.Even a year later, I try and remind myself how that experience made me a better person. Sometimes, I forget the little lessons and growing moments I had during those few, crazy hours. But if there is one thing I came away with and try to remind myself of daily, it is this: no matter how scary the jump is, always take it.