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The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

— Eleanor Roosevelt

I ran into a neighbour friend of mine a couple of days ago. After some polite exchanges about the cold winter she informed me she was travelling to Iceland. “Iceland?” I said, “do you have family there?” And she replied “No, I am going for adventure!”

Wow! It was such a great response. In her mind it isn’t just a trip or a vacation. She is bravely journeying into unknown territory to explore. And, that got me to think about how we describe the events in our lives. Is it possible to be adventurous even in the everyday? Of course!

So what do we need to do to add adventure to our lives? Reframing how we think and act in our daily life definitely is a good start. Approaching life with curiosity, playfulness and excitement shifts our focus away from the daily grind and into the realm of unlimited possibilities open to each of us if we are willing. These possibilities potentially create a life full of adventures, big and small! Let’s look into the benefits of this. 

Trying  New Things

For me this has been the number one greatest gift my journey has given me to date! The benefits of stepping out of my comfort zone have been so empowering. I have faced this phase in my life with new sparkling eyes eager to see where the next adventure takes me.

By trying new things we develop our self-confidence simply by doing something we haven’t before. We prove to ourselves that we are capable of so much more than we believe. We also hone in on our natural (and often under-used) creative energy. Not knowing exactly what lays ahead forces us to come up with unique and resourceful ways of coping with situations we face.

Learning Experientially

Another wonderful benefit of adventurous living is we get to experience life in living colour. Sure my friend could watch a You Tube video on Iceland’s beauty and have a practical understanding of how wonderful it is. But by venturing out of her regular routine and going there she will be immersed in it’s splendour with all her senses soaking it in.

Nothing beats hands on learning. The more often we voyage outside of what we know the more often we grow intellectually and  emotionally. We all can relate to that skill or activity that we have always wanted to try but are afraid to. What if we suck at it? What if it’s too hard? What if we fail? I believe the experience, regardless of the outcome, teaches us invaluable lessons which are worth it! Whenever we act, we have the possibility to learn.

Living Your Dreams

And this leads me to do what your heart desires! Whether that is a big adventure like travelling to a faraway place or a smaller one like taking a pottery class. Whatever the case, it is critical to pay attention to what that little voice inside you is asking for you to explore.

Life is exciting when you follow your heart. It is definitely not always easy or clear but when you stop living a life that feels like you are constantly in a rut there is joy more often than not. Start examining what it is you have consistently wished you could have done. And once that becomes clear to you start searching for ways to make it come true.

Having Fun

Living life adventurously is invigorating! It allows us to be bold and courageous. But I think it’s loveliest benefit is we fill our days with more joy. Simply put the more we dare to try the happier we are. It seems to me we were put on this earth for more than just a routine and numb existence.

Ask yourself if you are having fun on a daily basis. If the answer is yes, keep doing what you are doing and then some. If the answer is no, it might be time to add a little adventure to your routine and see if new possibilities open up for you. I am positive that this can only lead to increased happiness in your life.

I have felt all of these benefits in my life and they really feel good. I will continue to live each day boldly and adventurously and stay open to all the possibilities that I encounter. I hope you will too.

Next…look for my upcoming post on the 3 major steps to making your adventures become reality.