An adventurous life is a reflection of one’s passion
Ilove adventure of any kind. I travel, snow ski, water ski, scuba dive, sky dive, fly small planes, and most any activity that comes with thrill and excitement. In fact, I love adventure so much, that I often make the joke that I am a professional traveler and adventurer – funded through my real work in education.
I recently read an article about shifting our focus from physical adventure to mindful adventure. The practice of doing this brings adventure into the core of our lives, rather than just in activities we seek. A core of adventure is one that includes a willingness to learn, engage, and commit to uncertain outcomes. Like jumping out of a plane for the first time, living an adventurous life involves taking a leap into the unknown with mindfulness and grace each and every day.
Adventure has five elements:
• Adventure is high endeavor. Adventure is thinking big ideas, thinking bigger about who you are, reconsidering how you live, and adjusting your ideas of what you can do in the world. The adventurous mind has few limits!
• Adventure is commitment. Successful adventure demands that you face challenges head-on, believing wholeheartedly that everything will work out successfully in the end. When giving up seems like the best idea, just remember that true adventure is all part of the journey.
• Adventure has uncertain outcomes. No true adventure has a predetermined outcome, for that would be more like an amusement ride than an adventure. Some of the greatest adventures I have ever had, include traveling in a new place without a particular idea of what I would do there. Life, like adventure, is uncertain. Living an adventurous life each day requires us to be comfortable with that. Living a mindful adventure requires us to view each uncertain outcome as a gift of possibility.
• Adventure is tolerance for adversity. We must be able to be resilient in the face of challenges. We should seek ways to laugh and find humor in the difficult things that come our way. We all face different and unique challenges in life, but we can all take a step back, refocus on the important things in life, and continue on.
• Adventure is a great companion. Our lives often feel solitary in this great big world. However, we can’t do it alone. It takes a team to support us, and find joy. Living an adventure will bring a new sense of vitality, intensity, and energy into our relationships.
Adventure is not reserved for the daredevils or extreme personalities. Adventure is, instead, an attitude and lifestyle choice. It is an expression of your heart’s intention and passion for life. Like any skill, adventure takes work and practice. But like most things in life, the payoff is well worth the effort. Find your adventure!
Kyle Hawkey is an associate professor at Arizona Western College and a projects director at the University of Minnesota. He can be reached at kyle. hawkey@azwestern.edu.