The Adventure I Would Have Never Signed Up For

We weren’t even supposed to do it. Our Cebu tour guide slipped into routine and forgot that “canyoneering” wasn’t on our list. Next thing I knew, we had life vests on and were already ziplining toward the starting point. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, I was not prepared. I felt cornered, too shocked to say no. But life has a funny way of forcing us into things we didn’t plan for. And in those moments, you either freeze… or you jump. Literally. I was terrified, but each cliff, each waterfall we had to leap from, showed me something I didn’t know I had - courage. My legs shook, my body ached, but my heart never felt lighter. The fear didn’t vanish, but I carried it with me, and that made the adventure even more meaningful. It reminded me so much of mental health journeys, messy, unplanned, exhausting. Some days you feel like backing out. But when you keep going, you find pieces of yourself in places you never thought you’d see. That day, between cliffs and rivers, I found mine. And maybe that’s what makes it worth it: knowing that even in the scariest parts, you can still surprise yourself with how much beauty, strength, and joy you’re capable of.

• Cebu
• Canyoneering
• Mountain