11 Reasons Why You Need More Adventure in Your Life
How do you define adventure? 🤔
For some people, that’s committing to big wall climbs like El Capitan or summiting one of the world’s highest mountain peaks like Everest or Mount Kilimanjaro. 🧗🏽♀️
For others, it could be hitting the local trails more or picking up a new outdoor hobby like cycling, kayaking, or trail running. 🚵♀️
However you define adventure, I can guarantee you that your life will benefit from sprinkling a little more of this magical ingredient into your life.✨
My life drastically changed (for the better) when I became obsessed with collecting adventures and yours can too.
Adventures are meant to be lived not just liked on social media
Don’t let yourself get away with feeling satisfied by indulging in a YouTube vlog about your incessantly beckoning destination, route, or trail.
Don’t you dare feel an ounce of satisfaction from pinning stunning photos of that country you’ve been obsessed with for the last five years on your Wanderlust Pinterest board.
You know, that adventure you bookmarked and DM’ed to your bestie on the gram?
Don’t you think it’s time you filled your phone’s gallery with ridiculous photos of yourself and your friends from your own damn adventures and inspirational journey?
I know, the pictures your friend has been sharing from Havasupai look stunning but they are not a replacement for experiencing the land yourself.
Feel the rock. Taste the dirt— I mean smell the dirt. Taste the curry. Meet the locals.
See the unedited real life pano’. There’s just no replacement for the real deal.
This is your one precious life. Make it count!
You did not come to planet Earth just to go to work, pay bills, and check off a to-do list!
Hell to the nah, girl!
You came here to play, to explore, and experience the incredible variety of experiences life has to offer.
How many sunrises have you watched in the last year?
How many new mountain ranges did you get stoked on with your friends?
How many new cities, national parks, countries, or local trails did you explore?
How many times did you sleep under the stars and fall asleep to the sound of nearby stream?
Be sure that you are intentionally defining what success means to you and living your life accordingly.
More play time, less structured time. This is where the juiciness of life lives!
People are happier when they spend their money on experiences compared to material items
”Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul.”
Jaime Lyn
Money returns. Time doesn’t. Make sure you are making the most of your most precious resource.
Let’s make our 8-year-old selves proud of our adult selves
What did you dream your adult life would be like before society told you that it was silly and impractical?
Who were you before the world conditioned the thoughts in your head of how you should be spending your time?
Let’s make her proud and show other little ones that life can be as radically awesome as you make it.
If you want to climb up rocks in the tropics and be a fairy, then that is exactly what you will do!
We could all use less time on our phones and more time “here”, wherever that is
When was the last time you went a few days without staring at that blue light emitting from your phone all day long and responding to the never-ending texts, DM’s, and emails coming into your subconscious to-do list?
When was the last time you went a day without being plugged into knowing what everyone you have ever have known is doing?
One of my favorite things is switching my phone to airplane mode for a few days when backpacking up in the mountains. It’s only duty is to capture a few pictures of the natural beauty around me and nothing more.
Another option is to ditch the phone completely and take a camera.
Or leave that up to your friends and enjoy your time being curious, exploratory, and free.
Adventure teaches us how to have a better attitude and be prepared
If there is one thing that I have learned from my most epics adventures, it’s that I may not be able to control the weather, gear unexpectedly breaking, or things simply not going according to plan— but I can control my level of preparedness and my attitude about it all.
”Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure” – Bob Bitchin
I’ve shaken my head and laughed amidst the most dangerous, vulnerable, and adventurous moments in my life. You know, those moments where you look around and say to yourself, “Is this real life right now?”
These usually include a ground shaking thunderstorm + being on a motorbike in a country where I don’t speak the local language; backpacking under hail storms in unfamiliar wilderness far, far removed from any trail or potential help; weather-doomed multi-pitch climbs; and abseiling thousands of feet into a canyon that scared the living headlamps out of me.
All of these moments pushed me to dig deep to find my focus.
If I got myself into the situation, I could get myself out. That lesson is such a gift.
I cannot emphasize enough how valuable keeping a good attitude is when things get heads up. Things are already rough in these situations, keeping calm and finding humor in the little things can make the difference between a miserable experience or a crazy time you can look back at and laugh.
Related Post: Things To Avoid When Rock Climbing Mount Whitney
Discover who you are without your routines, labels, possessions, and comforts
Who are you without your morning routine, your full wardrobe, your job title.
Who are you when it’s just you, a backpack filled with the 25-30 lbs of gear you need to survive over the next few days, and nothing on your to-do list besides “enjoy your life”?
Yup, that’s ice on the lake!
Are you willing to jump in an ice-cold lake for the sake of bathing?
Who are you when you are the only person for possibly hundreds of miles who speaks English and you need help?
Are you willing to risk riding a motorbike through switchbacks in the mountains potentially during a rainstorm because you want to see the world class, picturesque, countryside that is only accessible on a bike?
What do you value and what are you willing to risk for it?
Getting outdoors and traveling helps us understand ourselves even better when we are removed from our usual habits and communities.
Getting outside is good for the mind, body, and soul
Studies show that spending time outdoors can:
- Boost your immune system
- Increase your energy & ability to focus
- Accelerate recovery
- Reduce stress & anxiety
- Improve sleep
- Improve mood
The outdoors can fill our life with unforgettable trips, ridiculous stories, and give us the opportunity to be healthier, happier, less stressed-out people.
This explains why your outdoorsy friends are such cool, happy folks.
It’s your responsibility to challenge yourself
You need to get uncomfortable to grow into the best version of yourself.
What are you capable of? Where is your limit?
These are questions you will never be able to answer if you stay in your comfort zone.
Do something that scares, excites you, and aligns with who you authentically are.
Imagine the best version of you ten years from now. What does she do? What has she accomplished? How does she inspire her community? How often does she create time and space for adventure?
Choose an endeavor that feels aligned with your best life and commit to the journey!
Related Post: The Raw Truth About My Motivation Getting Into The Outdoors
Get connected!
Connect to nature
Getting outdoors reminds us how incredibly lucky we are to live on this planet. It reminds us that we can commit to being kind to the Earth.
It instills reverence in our hearts and reminds us that we have a responsibility to tread lightly.
Connect to the human species
When we step out of our comfort zones, we are accepting our potential for high vulnerability.
Whether you are better able to connect deeper with your friends in the backcountry or recognize the same human tendencies in people all around the world (despite language barriers), adventure gives us the opportunity for a deeper connection than what we typically experience on the day to day.
Courage is always rewarded
Go somewhere that pulls at your heart strings and has been calling you for ages.
Dedicate yourself to an outdoor endeavor that you have always wanted in your life but lacked the courage pursue.
Be bold in your life and your courage shall be rewarded. I promise.
Let me know in the comments below why you adventure!
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