“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
It’s that time of year when I start gathering ideas, researching destinations, and scheduling trips we want to take this year. So far, I have a Croatia boat cruise booked, several days in the Sonoma wine country, and a few other possibilities simmering. Trip planning is one of my genuine joys in life—anticipation alone is half the fun.
My love of travel has deep roots. At 17, I was an AFS foreign exchange student and lived in Brazil. That experience changed me in so many ways. Since then, I’ve kept a current passport just in case, and travel has been woven throughout the fabric of my life.
Over the years, I’ve had some real ah-ha moments from my travel–insights that turned out to apply easily to everyday living.
- Start with YES! When a great opportunity for adventure shows up and it’s something that truly interests you, say YES and figure out the details after. Last year, friends suggested a river cruise. We said yes immediately and booked it that day. It turned out to be one of our best trips. When invitations arrive with the potential to enrich your life and add joy, lean into it! Bonus: shared experiences have a way of deepening friendships.
- Move through the discomfort. Often when I arrive somewhere new, I’m very uncomfortable at first. Fairly quickly, the unfamiliar becomes familiar and things ease up. The more I’ve leaned into new experiences over the years, the more I’ve learned to trust myself in these uncertain situations. This has helped my confidence in life over the years.
- Get there early. I’ve learned the hard way nearly everything takes longer than expected, and the unanticipated has a habit of showing up. I’ve learned to build in buffer time–in travel and in my daily life. Now, I’m rarely late, almost never stressed, and I arrive relaxed with the energy and mindset to enjoy myself.
- Leave room for serendipity. One of my best travel discoveries was the gift of unscheduled time. When I stop scheduling every hour, I realized something interesting almost always shows up. One trip, we were relaxing at an outdoor cafe in Amsterdam when we struck up a conversation with a local. He offered to take us walking through his nearby neighborhood as he shared stories about the people, history and architecture. One of the highlights of our trip! Also, unscheduled time allows us to take care of ourselves, rest and relax. At home, I no longer pack my days and I’ve found pleasure in both the rest and the unexpected surprises that open up when I have space in my calendar.
- Ask for help. I’ve planned dozens of trips completely on my own and I’ve often worked with a travel advisor who has deep inside knowledge of the places I wanted to visit. She simplified logistics, connected me to experiences I never would have found on my own, and made the whole trip richer. The same is true in life. Going somewhere new—whether a country or a chapter in your life—can feel overwhelming. There are people who’ve been where you’re going and can help guide you along. Let them help you.
Adventure isn’t only about where you go.
It’s about how you choose to be present to your current situation and how you respond to what shows up. Tap into your Adventurer energy and you will cultivate curiosity, flexibility, and a quiet confidence that will carry you through any vacation and throughout your life.
Adventurer is one of Nine Facets–nine personal energies for living a full, vibrant life. Click here to learn more .
Where in you life right now could you say a wholehearted “YES!” to adventure?
