The 30-Day Writing Challenge
#LivingWriters #Viettothon30days
Week 2 – Day 14 – 15th Apr 2025
Topic: Something you’re proud of about yourself today

I’m afraid of heights, so I usually avoid adventurous activities or any situation where I don’t feel a solid foundation under my feet—like standing on the edge of a mountain or tall building, riding roller coasters, crossing high bridges (especially glass ones!), or even walking on frozen lakes where I can see through the ice. This fear has created a lot of boundaries in my life.

I still remember a trip during my time at my previous company, when I traveled to Chicago. A manager kindly took me to Willis Tower—the tallest building in the city. One of the highlights was The Ledge—a glass-floored balcony extending 4.3 feet out from the building, with just 1.5 inches of glass between you and the 103 floors below. It looks amazing in photos and gives a spectacular view of the city. But for me? It was terrifying.

The manager kept encouraging me, saying, “Go, go! I’ll take a photo for you!” I was frozen with fear. But I didn’t want to disappoint him—he’d spent the whole weekend with me and even paid for the ticket. So… if I couldn’t stand, then I crawled. 😅 I slowly scooted out, just far enough for one quick photo, then crawled right back. He was probably speechless. Looking back, I can’t stop laughing—what a memory! 😂

I promised myself I wouldn’t put myself in a situation like that again.
But then—just a month ago—I did.

I was so excited to see the northern lights that I booked a dinner at the Aurora Sky Station. What I missed? That you can only get there by chair lift—900 meters above sea level, 15–20 minutes in the air. At first, I thought it was like a cable car (very common in Vietnam), so I didn’t worry much. But nope—it was an open-air metal chair, legs swinging in the air, wind slapping your face. By the time I realized what it actually was, it was too late to back out.

Two-thirds of the way up, I said nothing. I was silently freaking out but held it in because I didn’t want the lady sitting next to me to get scared too. I even managed to take one or two photos—that part, I’m quite proud of! The northern lights showed up during the ride and helped distract me a bit, but I still kept praying we’d arrive soon. Eventually, I couldn’t hold it in anymore and blurted out, “I’m freaking scared of this,” while gripping the side of the chair.

The dinner was amazing—warm and cozy, like a wooden cottage in a movie. But the fear of going back down kept buzzing in my mind. Luckily, we left a bit earlier than planned, so the wind wasn’t too strong. And because I had already shared my fear with the group, the same kind lady sat next to me again. We talked the whole way down about life and random things, and it really eased my anxiety. I’m so grateful for her kindness.

So, what am I proud of today?
That I spoke out loud about my fear.
That I faced it.
That I experienced my first-ever chair lift ride—even though it wasn’t part of the plan.
And honestly, if I had known about the chair lift in advance… I probably would’ve backed out. But because I didn’t, I now have an unforgettable memory. A happy problem, after all. 😊

Thank you.