So the Adventure Begins

There’s such a sweetness about the child who is a dreamer. They go about their days playing make-believe, trying out different roles, and exploring what it feels like to be in someone else’s shoes. Their innate ability to tap into their imagination enables them to be transported instantaneously to another world, and live the magic at whim. As the main character in their fantasies, they live out their best lives as their best selves and are happier because of it.

With age, however, something happens, and all too often. Many individuals give up their pens as the authors of their stories, and instead of playing the “hero” in their own plots, they become the victim. This would be too much for any young spirit to comprehend that with the advancement of age, all those glorious roles they tried out prove to be a significant source of disappointment. Yet, with the increasing responsibilities and stressors that come with maturity, some of which are inevitable and some of which can be credited to “life happening,” it seems fair to say that no one has to look far to find an individual who feels they have become a causality of their circumstances.

Whether individuals hate their jobs, feel they are a slave to household chores or their finances, or they have relationships that negatively impact them, dissatisfaction has become rampant. Is there a single cure? In most cases, I don’t believe there is. Still, by living as purposefully as each could, and by reconnecting to the adventurer within, I choose to believe there can be a significant improvement. At best, I believe lives can wholly change. Since, personally, there is nothing more that I love than to see people create and live the lives they love, here are my two cents:

Your Only Assignment: If your kindergarten teacher told the whole class on a Friday afternoon before dismissal that on Monday morning each of you was going to need to share with the class one adventure you had over the weekend, you would be very intentional in how you approached your weekend. Am I right? So, I’m going to encourage you to consider embracing that same mindset today and for the upcoming weekend.

Pick Up Your Pen and Write: Connecting to the adventurer within begins with the commitment that you are going to pick up your pen, as the author of your life, and write your story the way you would want to tell it. Would you want to tell the class about a boring weekend? No, you would not. Yet, this is what happens when individuals hand the pen off to others and their life’s circumstances. It’s time to take the pen back. What story of adventure do you want to write this weekend?

Daydream: As children, the joy of life was living out those inner ambitions. As such, I encourage you to embrace the “mental escape” during your tasks and days. Forget what a lifetime of teachers told you about making sure you pay attention. Nonsense. Reality will be there when you come back to it, and your heart, mind, body, and soul will benefit. What long-held daydreams and aspirations are you ready to live out?

Connect to and Let Your Spirit Lead: If there is one thing I have learned in my life, it’s that those things we hold in our spirits are seldom nothing. Contrary, they are often more than something. Those ideas, hopes, inspirations, and goals at a closer look and lived out with action are the remedies to life’s ills, are the passions behind our purpose, and are the things that lead to a fulfilling life. What adventure has your spirit’s backing?

Break the Mold: Social media is wonderful for capturing individuals’ adventures. It is also good at catalyzing comparison that leaves many an individual feeling gloomy about the lack of adventure in their lives. While the type of adventure individuals can participate in and embark on vary depending on circumstances, the common denominators between someone who is having adventures and someone who is not are two-fold. For one, it’s a made-up mind. Two, it’s the individual’s effort or follow-through. What adventure do you have your mindset on? What effort are you willing to put in to make it happen?

Embrace the Spirit of Adventure: There’s a spirit to adventure that’s reflected in the child who has a blast splashing in puddles, playing in the dirt, or playing all by themselves. Just like a child, each person has it within themselves to make an adventure out of the simplest endeavors. The enchantment and revitalization that adventure offers come down to two elements. First is whether an individual “chooses” to be confined by the self-imposed limitations of the mind. Second is whether the person “chooses” to approach their heart’s desires, whims, and fancies, aspirations, and ambitions, with all of their greatness, and create a fun and exciting experience. How can you bring the spirit of adventure to something you really want to do?

Be Your Own Hero: It’s all too easy when dissatisfaction with life hits to fall into the trap of waiting for something to change or waiting for someone else to make it better. Yet, these passive mindsets define, as well as reinforce a victim mentality. The truth is, happiness comes from within, and individuals hold the power to make changes that bring the desired improvement to their lives. What step can you take to be your own hero?

Show Someone Else Some Adventure: Whether it’s your children, a friend, or a significant other, making plans aimed at giving others a little fun, excitement, and happiness, brings a joy that individuals are seeking in their efforts to have a little adventure to begin with. Who do you want to spend time with? What would be fun to do together?

Nature: The simple act of spending time outdoors has this way of bringing individuals back to the basics. Adventure does not have to be costly unless one chooses it to be. It just needs to make us feel alive and leave us happier because of it. What is something you have wanted to do in nature?

Find Your Keys: The fact is adventure means something different to everyone. Yet, the goal remains the same. Individuals want the greatest life satisfaction possible. As such, it is up to each person to discover the keys or the types of adventure, that they find fulfilling through exploration. If you have found your keys, then great. If not, what is something you can do to find your best fit?

In any case, I hope that Monday morning, you show up to your life with a good story of adventure to tell. For all your efforts, you get an A+ from me. :)