Live Your Journey: Lalo Ramirez on Reaching His Higher Self (Literally

Lalo is an associate with our Redmond Life Marketing Team. You might have seen him on our feeds! When he’s not taking photos or recording amazing reels for Re-Lyte and Real Salt, you may find him jumping out of an airplane high above northern Utah.

“Since I was young, I would constantly express to my dad that I had dreams of parachuting from airplanes, whether it be alongside an instructor or on my own." Years ago, he made that vision a reality by investing in his first skydiving experience under the guidance of an instructor. Instantly captivated by the thrill, skydiving has remained an integral and cherished aspect of his life ever since!

“I’m just an adrenaline junkie,” Lalo says. “The sensation of the wind rushing through my fingers and hair brings me immense joy. I find true bliss in fully immersing myself in the present moment."

That feeling of being in the moment is central to Lalo’s life, and key to being the person he wants to be.

Seeking The Moment

Since he was a child, Lalo loved activities that helped him feel alive and present. Growing up, his go-to was soccer. “When you give a good pass or score a goal, nothing else matters,” he says. “You’re in the moment, and it’s beautiful.”

Lalo likes to try new, exciting things, like swimming with sharks in Hawaii (true story!). He and Redmond Life associate Corey Coulam have also gone rock climbing together. Lalo has found that skydiving anchors him in the moment like nothing else does and helps him face his fears.

Lalo has enjoyed learning the basics of skydiving on tandem jumps with instructors. “It was scary when I first started going,” he says. “The instructors would say they’ll count to three, but they always jumped on one or two. And when you’re skydiving, you’re a little anxious about getting on the plane. But when they open the gate it’s the same feeling I got in soccer from scoring a goal or giving a good pass. It’s that same vibe, same energy. I search that out.”

Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows up there in the sky. But the knowledge of risk sometimes enhances that feeling of aliveness and focuses Lalo’s concentration.

“When I play it back in my head, it’s always like ‘Wow, it’s so cool to jump out of a plane,’ but there are risks that I respect. We try not to jump when it’s super windy, but sometimes it happens. One time I went and it started to get windy. It was picking up, but not scary yet. Once we were up, they opened the door, and while we were coming down, there was a heavy gust. Then it was scary because when the parachute opened, we started spiraling and the wind dragged us around. But we were fine, and the instructor maneuvered his way through.”

Being The Adventurous Influence

Another huge part of skydiving for Lalo is sharing it with other people. He loves helping others have amazing experiences and face their fears.

One of his favorite skydiving experiences ever was when he took his friends for the first time.

Lalo has always felt a strong desire to explore new things. "With my friends," he explains, "I’ve played the role of both a 'bad influence' and a good influence. I would often say, 'If you've been longing to go mountain biking, let's make it happen this weekend.' And so, we would embark on that adventure. I would encourage them by saying, 'If you want to try something new, let's go out and experience it together. Let’s go skydive!’”

And that’s how he got his friends on the plane. He always loves the camaraderie and rush of seeing the rest of his group jumping out of the gate, but seeing his friends take the leap was “magical!”

Lalo says, “Afterward, they hugged me and expressed how grateful they were that I scheduled it and made it happen. To see them face a big fear, that they had a lot of excuses beforehand and then went and did it anyway, was liberating. I loved seeing their reaction afterward.” He saw his friends feeling that same sense of freedom he experiences when he takes that leap!

Reaching for His Higher Self

For Lalo, skydiving is a regular practice in overcoming his fears, finding presence, and connecting with a sense of possibility. He loves sharing it with others so they too realize that they can do scary things and accomplish whatever they put their mind to.

“I keep trying to reach that higher self,” Lalo says. “I constantly strive to improve myself and embrace new experiences with an open mind. Although it can be intimidating initially, I find that when I take the leap and try something new, it often turns out to be incredibly rewarding. I make a conscious effort to remain receptive to opportunities that come my way. Engaging in activities like skydiving reinforces the idea that there are no limits to what can be achieved. With determination, one can accomplish anything they set their mind to. And this is just the beginning of what lies ahead.”

Lalo currently skydives about twice a month from spring to fall (winter gets a little cold at 10,000 feet!), usually in Weber or Wasatch County.

In early 2020, Lalo paid to become a certified skydiver, which would allow him to jump solo. Unfortunately, that was right before the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced him to stay on the ground for a while due to social distancing restrictions. But now, he’s only a few jumps away from certification. “29 jumps are required for certification,” Lalo says. “I’m at 24 or 25 now.” If he’s lucky, he might complete his certification this year. He’s also going to be jumping in Hawaii soon!

Lalo says, “In this life, whatever aspirations you hold, once you commit yourself to a goal, you have the ability to achieve it. Embrace your authentic self without fear. If there's something you truly desire, don't let the negative inner voices deter you. Banish any doubts that may arise. Similar to the experience of skydiving, you must take action and seize the moment. You cannot linger indefinitely in hesitation. When the opportunity presents itself, it's time to take the leap and embark on your journey.”

We love how Lalo is living his journey, and we’re so glad to be a part of it!