Self-actualization or my actual self?

This trip has been an eye-opening experience for me. I have always considered myself in touch with my feelings, grounded, in an I've-spent-a-lot-of-money-on-therapy sort of way. I didn't expect to be learning about myself, although when I shared a few of these thoughts with Jon he claims he already knew all about them. My favorite discovery so far is that I really do enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and walking much more than I thought. I didn't really dislike walking (who hates walking??), but I wasn't leaping out of bed to go for a walk, either. Now I am. Well, OK, I still drag out of bed and need a coffee first, but then I am up and out the door. It's fun. I am already planning some hiking trips for this summer in Sweden and can't wait. I might even get a pair of hiking boots, the good kind.  I want to go white water rafting very badly, can't wait to try out a zip line through the jungle, and want to soar over Gotenborg in a hot air balloon. Göteborg från luftballong. Remember that song? Anyway, I am now some kind of outdoor adventure enthusiast, and I haven't even mentioned the paragliding yet. This is a bit of a shock to me really, as I never considered myself anything close to athletic, or even sporty. Now I want to jump off a cliff attached to some random person who will fly us to safety by controlling the many ropes and lines of a paraglider. But I haven't totally lost my mind, I'm not reckless. When I was 15 years old and on a beach in Nice, France I had a chance to parasail, but I didn't go for it because I was nervous about my budget and, frankly, too chicken. It took 20 years for another opportunity to parasail, and you bet I didn't let it pass me by. What an exhilirating experience, I wasn't even a bit afraid and I had Sara up there with me. If I could parasail this afternoon, I would. No question. So instead of wondering if I would enjoy a hiking trip in the mountains or a week of Scuba diving in the Carribbean, I am going to buy those hiking boots. We're going to get Scuba certified and take that trip. Put me in, Coach, I'm ready to play.