Curved trajectory + easing

it's neat that you tried "fiddling around" with forces. in fact, by "fiddling around" with forces, you can make video games, build suspension bridges, create Western Civilisation, etc.

so what you want is a retro-rocket that slows you to a stop just in time.

add a line of code that checks you are below a certain height. once you are below that certain height, kick in your retro rocket.

(obviously, if you also throw the object "up, then it comes down" you need to check that you are on the downward leg ... don't accidentally apply the retro rocket force when you first throw the object upwards. if you are unable to "check if velocity is downwards" you need to step back, learn the basics, and maybe ask questions about that issue)

so you check if you are heading downwards and below your "kick-in height"

at that point simply ..........apply a force upwards. remarkably, it's that easy.

using high school arithmetic, you can figure out what the force in Newtons should be. But interestingly, you can simply guess any value, and in a few tries you can get to the correct value.

simply apply the same force throughout the period where you're below the kick-in line

you're done