Sometimes Adventure Is Right Outside Your Front Door

in #travel7 years ago (edited)

I love a good adventure. Those life defining moments when you step out of your comfort zone and travel to somewhere you’ve never been before.

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And while most of the time I tend to think of adventure as some excursion into a far-off land, recently my mind has been challenged by a different notion. The notion that adventure has just as much to do with mindset as it does with location.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate over my life and experienced incredible generosity that has allowed me to do a lot of exploring. I’ve had people sponsor my trips, when I’ve gone to help with community building projects in other countries. And at other times I’ve worked hard and saved or found ways to go on amazing adventures that were just for the experience.

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I’ve traveled cheap and stayed with people along the way, and I’ve traveled more “high style” where I didn’t have to worry about where every penny was going (this usually takes some serious planning and saving in my world, but very worth it!) All of it is wonderful.

Experiencing other cultures; learning, tasting new foods, making friends, expanding my view of the world – to me this is what makes traveling an adventure worth creating.

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And while these are always incredible life experiences, I still like to have a home base – a place to put down roots, to make friends and build relationships. The night I got the phone call confirming that I did, in fact, have a brain tumor, one of the first things I did was go across the street to my wonderful friend to cry, get a hug, and talk it through (without freaking out my kids!).

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Relationships like that – with someone who lives in your community - don’t usually happen overnight. In my experience it happens when I'm in a place long enough, and I make an effort to connect and share life experiences with other people. I’m so thankful for the longevity that helped that relationship grow. When I needed it most, it was right there.

Living a life that is always on the move, and changing locations can be fun, (and there are people for which that lifestyle is a good fit.) But I’ve learned that, personally, I thrive the most when I’m in a place where I’m known and loved and can give and receive encouragement. So, for me, that means staying in one place to build local community and then going out for adventures.

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But those epic, across the world adventures don’t happen every day, especially when I’m intentionally building local relationships, building gardens, etc. Yet I still have a real longing for adventure, so that means I need to get creative in how I fill that. Recently I’ve learned a valuable lesson. I’ve learned that I can have amazing adventures that are right outside my front door. And a lot of it depends on attitude and perspective.

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This past weekend I was feeling the need for adventure. I wanted to explore and to feel a sense of awe. So we (my family crew and I) decided to explore a little treasure right down the street from us. A nature preserve called “Back Bay” in Newport Beach, California US. I’ve been there before, many times throughout my life in fact, but I knew that a little bit of open “wild” space would be just the thing for my longing for adventure.

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And that’s when it hit me. An adventure is just as much about attitude as it is about location. We can go across the ocean, or a few miles down the road - but if our hearts are open to experiencing things in a new way and open to beauty and awe - we can have an adventure.

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And bringing my boys there for their second visit brought even more delight, as if I was experiencing it again for the first time. Seeing them share their excitement with my husband, who hadn’t been there in years, was a joy, and it made it even richer. It filled up my soul to see the wide-open area where fresh water meets salt, and birds soared overhead.
What it renewed in me and reminded me of is that while adventure is often about getting into a new space, it can also be about seeing the things close to you in a fresh new way, or sharing that with someone.

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So while we can’t always go to some far off destination, we can choose to have adventure. By being open to seeing things with fresh perspective, by sharing experiences with others, and by exploring (or re-experiencing) things close to home, we can expand our world and bring adventure, right outside our front door.

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Thank you for sharing!! I really like the way that you write and describe things as well as seeing your art <3

Thanks so much, Janine. You are inspiring me SO much with your posts and your photography. It's like I've met this amazing person across the world that captures images and moments in the very way that I see them in my mind, and then shares those images and stories. Oh wait, I have met that person! You are incredible. SO glad our paths have crossed.

That was so nice to read!! I feel the exact same. Soul sisters find a way <3

Adventure is out there!

It's funny that you just kind of drop, "Yeah, that one time I had a brain tumor..." Heheh.

Yes adventure IS out there! So glad that I'm alive to pursue it and enjoy it.

Haha, yeah, the brain tumor part of my life just popped into my story as I was writing it, so I thought it needed to stay. It's a tangible reason to me why physically close community is important - just as important as digital/online community. Because when we go through hard times (and we ALL go through hard times at some point) it's really amazing to have people that love and support us. And then we can do that for them as well.
So yeah, that story is part of my journey and it will probably make it's way into my sharing more than once! Life's funny that way!

Well, my "comfort zone" is very narrow. So at least getting out of it once in a while is cheap!

That looks like an amazing place and it sounds like you've got the right attitude to enjoy it.

Ha, that's awesome! You can go on "easy" adventures then!

Yeah I love the beauty of Back Bay; it inspires me. Some of the photos are from sailing, our old "home base", and some other fun places I've been to recently. The ones at the end are the Back Bay photos and the last one is a morning sunrise right out our "side door"! : )

Were we talking about sailing before? I keep running into sailors on here. Let's go sailing. We can meet up in the Panama canal and decide where to go from there.

Oh wait - that does sound awfully adventurous!

Edit: that was you! It's hard to keep track of all these conversations - sorry!

I love this! Yeah, there are so many great conversations going on; it is hard to keep it all straight at times! Yes, Panama Canal, woohoo! (See, you're more of an adventurous soul than you care to admit, haha!)
My parents bought a boat when I was ten called "Adventures" (I swear on my life that I'm not making this up!!) It was a Mariner 48' and they had information that came with the boat of it passing through the Panama canal. I thought that was one of the coolest things I had ever heard. Granted I was ten then, but I still think it's one of the coolest things - to have gone through that kind of journey.
Maybe that will be one of my future adventures. It still sounds like an incredible journey.

Have you heard the story of Laura Dekker? She sailed around the world alone at 15. Sounds like a kindred spirit of yours.

I just read your post about her. Very inspiring! I had heard bits and pieces, but hadn't really heard the whole story. Really cool.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read it. Glad you enjoyed!

Adventure is what you make it to be. Some folks go on wild adventures and don't enjoy them. It is all in the eye of the beholder.

Well said! I agree with you. Enjoyment of something has more to do with us and our mindset. We can enjoy both the grand and the little moments equally. It really is in the eye of the beholder.

Such a good message, I enjoy seeing your photos of your adventures. It is very true that it's all in the attitude

Saw your introduction post and the art you do are simply brilliant. Great to have you on Steemit showcasing your talent and creativity.

Very cool! I'm glad you liked my introduction post and artwork. It's been really fun to rediscover this steemit world. So much to see and share. Looks like you have some really diverse interests too. Fun stuff.
Thanks for the welcome!

Great post and beautiful pictures, thank you for sharing. This was inpiring.

I'm really glad you liked it and were inspired by it. That is the best thing I could hear! Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate that (it inspires me to keep going!).