#38 Go Zip-lining — A Courage & Challenge Moment

Some items on my 40 Under 40 list feel exciting.

Others feel… absolutely terrifying.

This one was definitely the second.

For #38 — Go Zip-lining, I stepped firmly outside my comfort zone and into my Courage & Challenge section — because I am genuinely afraid of heights. The kind of afraid where my hands and feet sweat standing one floor up in a mall.

And yet, here we were.

Just outside of Gatineau, we spent the day at Arbraska, a place that specializes in immersive aerial adventures and zip-lining experiences in the heart of nature.

You can explore what they offer here:👉 https://arbraska.com/en/activities

Starting with the Aerial Course

We began with one of Arbraska’s signature experiences: their aerial obstacle course, designed to challenge you through a variety of suspended bridges, platforms, and climbing elements high up in the trees.

It was the perfect (and slightly intimidating) introduction — pushing us through a series of physical and mental challenges, gradually leading into smaller zip lines along the way.

I was nervous.

But my daughter? She was fearless.

Her Bravery Got Me Through

I could not believe how brave she was — calmly stepping forward into things that looked daunting, trying every obstacle even when she admitted she was scared.

And honestly, watching her made me feel like I had no choice but to keep going.

Because if she could do hard things while afraid… so could I.

This day became less about zip-lining, and more about something deeper: showing up alongside her, and proving to myself that fear doesn’t always get the final say.

The Big Zip Line Across the Water

After the course, we decided it was time.

The main event.

The big zip line, soaring across the water.

I won’t lie — I hesitated. But my daughter went first and after that I had no choice but to follow because she was alone on the other side of the lake.

But once I stepped off?

It was pure adrenaline, pure joy.

It was honestly… so fun.

I felt secure. I felt safe. And something about being surrounded by nature made the whole experience feel grounding instead of overwhelming.

We also had the most incredible personal guide, Hendrix, who made us feel supported, calm, and confident every step of the way.

One of the Most Proud Checkmarks Yet

This was a milestone for me.

Not because it was extreme, or flashy, or something I need to do again tomorrow…

But because I did something I truly thought I couldn’t.

And I did it with my daughter beside me — brave, capable, and unknowingly leading the way.

Sometimes courage isn’t about not being scared.

Sometimes it’s just about doing it anyway.

✅ #38 Complete — Go Zip-lining

One beautiful challenge at a time.