#PowerOfOui – Saying OUI (Yes!) to Adventure

I would like to consider myself an adventure seeker, or even an adrenaline junky. But there are somethings that I can’t seem to bring myself to do. My fear of heights has always been a huge factor when it comes to riding roller coasters, climbing mountains, and also even being in an airplane. For a frequent flier, this notion may seem weird, and I’m completely on-board with the idea of flying, once in the airplane itself, my anxieties set in. My mind begins to wander and I get stressed out by the idea of being stuck in a metal tube for such an extended period of time. That however, is a completely different topic for another time. Today I wanted to share a challenge that I took on to champion my fear of heights—the CN Tower EdgeWalk.

Last month, Juicy Couture challenged me to tackle my fear of heights and to try out the CN Tower EdgeWalk in celebration of their brand new fragrance launch, OUI Juicy Couture. OUI Juicy Couture is a beautiful fragrance with many layered notes which I find to be such an apt reflection of myself and represents the varying dimensions of my personality. I grew up in a generation of strong-minded individuals who know what it’s like to have to work hard to achieve our goals, but at the same time we also know when to celebrate our successes, regardless of how many hurdles and fears we may have to overcome to achieve them.

The new OUI Juicy Couture’s playful top notes blend together with the rich and provocative base notes to reflect the multidimensionality of my personality and has me proud to call myself a Juicy girl! It reminds me that there is nothing that is too hard in life that I can’t conquer if I truly set my mind to it—such as the EdgeWalk!

I’ve actually always wanted to give it a go, but my fear had continuously set me back and I never felt quite ready to take the plunge (completely no pun intended)! This time though, I said “oui” and agreed to go on an adventure way above my city! Not allowing my fears to prevent me from achieving my goals, I knew that conquering the CN Tower EdgeWalk would be symbolic gesture to myself that I can achieve anything that I put my heart to as long as I believe in myself. And to quote Beyoncé – “Who runs the world?”, Juicy Couture’s answer is – oui do! And we do indeed. CN Tower EdgeWalk, I’m coming for you!

The morning of my EdgeWalk, I woke up bright and early and thought long and hard about the day ahead of me. I was about to cross something off of my bucket list that I had originally kept refraining from. I showered, ate a light meal (no one wants to throw up from a little vertigo!), and dressed in the comfiest clothes that I could find. I wanted to feel as me as possible, and oddly enough, being comfortable to me meant throwing on one of the girliest dresses that I owned! What a confounding juxtaposition that was, to be dressed ridiculously feminine just as I was about to embark on an adventure of something that I considered to be extremely terrifying. I reasoned with myself that I should probably also pack a sweater and a pair of jeans just in case as a back-up.

Capping off my morning routine with a spritz of the new OUI Juicy Couture, I wanted a scent that would forever remind me of this moment when I spray it again in the future. It’s amazing how fragrances can really take you back in time to when you created a memory that was tied to the scent, and I wanted something that would one day help jog my mind back to the day that I did the EdgeWalk.

Looking up at the CN Tower, I felt a little chill running through my spine as I envisioned what the city might look like below me. I wasn’t sure what to expect besides the feeling of vertigo that I get every time I’m up somewhere high, but I knew that it would be worthwhile adventure and experience to embark on. Peter and I snapped a couple of photos out front as a memory just in case they wouldn’t allow us to bring up our phones or cameras (spoiler alert: they don’t), before heading inside. The preparation itself was amazing. The crew did such a great job securing us into our harnesses that I never once felt any fear of coming loose. Between double, triple, and even quadruple checking our set up, safety was most definitely of their highest concern. But there wasn’t any air of stress in the room. Though thorough, the team was at the same time positive, laughing, and even cracking jokes with us. I really vibed off of their energy and felt pumped to be walking along the edge of the CN Tower!

We rode the elevator up in excitement and I caught myself holding my breath as we waited to step out onto the platform. Once out there, I took it all in with awe. The beautiful city of Toronto spread before us underneath, and the large expanse of water in the front with a tiny little Billy Bishop airport to the side. I looked down and surprisingly didn’t feel my stomach plummet like it usually does when I’m high above ground. That was the moment that I knew that I would be able to do it.

We followed our Walk Master around the perimeter of the edge and we practiced some exercises such as peeping our toes over the edge, balancing both backwards and forwards, individually, before doing them all together as a group. As we continued the exercises around the edge, I grew more and more confident with myself. It wasn’t as bad as it appeared, and was actually quite fun. I eventually got comfortable enough to Super Man off of the ledge (you lean forward off of the ledge and are only held back by your harness and the restraints) and allowed myself to dangle forward over top of the city. It was a calming sight to be able to look down upon the hustle and bustle, but to take it all in with complete silence. No honking of cars, no roaring of the subway, no screeching of the streetcars driving by on the tracks. Just pure silence and a slight breeze.

The entire experience was so invigorating and freeing for me. After completing the EdgeWalk, I felt a certain sense of accomplishment. Just by knowing that I was able to go up there and to face my fears helped to reinforce the idea that I can conquer anything that I put my mind towards.

And with some wonderful memories, every time that I spritz some of  OUI Juicy Couture on for the day or even look at the beautiful decanter-style bottle, I’ll be reminded of the beautiful experience, and what it felt like to give into my fears just once.

Each time I respray the fragrance, it takes me on a journey of my emotions as I embarked on my journey. The top notes of waterlemon accord and acai tea accord swirling together transports me back to a sense of calmness and serenity as I looked down on Toronto for the very first time. As the middle notes of wild tuberose, jasmine buds absolute, and dew honeysuckle settle in, I reminisce on the adrenaline rush that I received it finally settled into me that I that was hanging off of the edge of the CN Tower by merely a harness. And finally as the scent matures and graduates towards its base notes of amber resins, captive musks, and techno woods accord, I am reminded of sense of confidence that I washed over me after accomplishing that feat without backing out.

Thank you Juicy Couture, for challenging me to go on an adventure. I promise to continue doing so, and to encourage others to follow suite as well! Are you ready to be a Juicy girl? If you would like to receive a sample of OUI Juicy Couture, fill out the form here!

Photography Credits: The Dunk Listt
This post was sponsored by Juicy Couture, however all views are 100% honest and my own.