One of my core values is adventure.
I love travelling, I love getting off the beaten track, I love trying new things (as long as I don’t feel like I am going to die in the process- fear of heights much…)
But I’ve felt lately that over the years that adventurous spirit has died down a bit all in the name of routine.
I remember the girl who would get out in all her clothes in a storm and just twirl in the rain and open my mouth to catch the droplets…
Or when I got married the first time even choosing not to have a T.V for a whole year, well, that was an adventure as well. We’d always find new ways to do things.
As I’ve gotten older and with seemingly more responsibilities it has been easy to go with the flow.
It’s safe there after all.
The job that I’ve been at for ages and feels like family. Safe.
The community I live in (and in a cute Queenslander house I must say) . Love it!
One kid. Fairly safe most days lol
It’s so easy for days to be filled with play dates, yoga, or work.
But I crave adventure. And that adventurous spirit just keeps demanding…calling out to be heard.
So today I gave in to it.
And not in a way that is bungee jumping into a cavern crazy…
But in its simplicity felt like adventure…
Bliss…
You see my son is 2 and he loves trains. So off we went on the train today.
He was simply delighted. He would call out ‘Wowee’ as he saw another train approach opposite the train we were sitting in and had the commuters grinning from ear to ear as he greeted pretty much each one as they got into the train.
We headed off to the Museum of Modern Art.
As a mum, I miss culture. I miss the city life. I miss strolling.
So Flynn and I strolled. We drank iced chocolates at the art gallery café while he kept shouting out ‘Release the kracken’ (which is a phrase Dave uses for Flynn after he has gotten out of the bath and in the nude. After the phrase is said Flynn does a nudie (AKA kracken) run down the hallway and Dave chases him…)
We then made masks and looked at creepy paintings…(just weird paintings if you catch my drift).
I loved our little adventure today.
It wasn’t an adventure like our trip to Italy.
And it didn’t cost a fortune to create.
But I loved every moment of just being present and laughing with him.
You see when you have anxiety, it’s so easy to get caught up in the to-do list.
You worry about if you take a day off to adventure then more work will be left for you at home.
The dishes are piled up after all…
The washing is still on the line from 3 days ago (or is that just me?)
Or that your child has a swimming lesson to go too.
I say seriously bunk off (wag) from it all! Even just for 1 day (or 1 hour!)
The dishes will be there,
The washing will still be drying,
And your child won’t have forgotten how to swim.
Make memories,
Get out of your comfort zone.
//It can start simply by taking another route to work (or in my case I walk a different way to my staffroom each day).
//Or drinking something different to start your day.
//Or by taking that Salsa class.
//Booking that ticket to exotic places.
//Saying ‘No’ to another job on the to-do list.
I get it, some of you reading this experience social anxiety and the thought of going on an adventure is frankly terrifying.
Here’s the thing, you don’t need to have an adventurous spirit but you do need to have a level of self-trust to get out there into the world.
I hear you, you’re scared, what if nobody likes you? What if someone sees you sitting at the café alone and thinks you’re some lonely weirdo? What if you have a panic attack while driving? What if you start to feel unsafe?
You start with building a fear ladder.
Start a ladder with 10 steps on it. On the lowest would be the easiest step to your adventure. The 10th step being completion of your goal.
Start by making little steps until you read the goal.
//It could be walking to the front gate to collect your mail and taking 10 deep breaths while there.
//The next step could be walking to the end of your street.
//The next step could be going to the corner store.
This life is here for living and anxiety is taking that from you.
It’s keeping you stuck dead in your tracks.
Hop on the train, delight in the simplicity of the travel and enjoy the iced chocolate.
Remember those choose your own adventure books?
This is your life. A life given to you by God. What are you going to choose to do with it?
Lean in.
It’ll be worth it.
You’ve got this.
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