My family and I have just embarked on a 5-week adventure. We are off to explore all manner of things - see new places, have new experiences, connect with friends and discover more of ourselves along the way. This is an incredible luxury, and it feels very exciting, but it was a trip I almost didn’t take.
When I first shook up our lives and left my job in search of what’s next, I looked at the future as something that needed solving. I was on a quest to figure out my purpose. While I still feel this, I am realizing that I can’t necessarily will myself to figure it out. As much as I wish it was a discrete math problem where I could apply y = mx + b to plot this next point on the line of my life, I recognize that life is not linear. Life is iterative, and as it unfolds, new variables emerge and the equation changes. The problem evolves as you get more information, and it’s not as neat and tidy as a straight line.
And then I wonder if my life is even in need of solving? Perhaps it just needs living.
I’ve written before about balance, and the art of figuring out life feels like a delicate balance between seeking and stillness - activity and listening. When do I need to be doing, taking action and trying new things and how long do I listen, reflect and read to determine what those steps are?
Big questions. Important questions. Hard questions.
And maybe questions that don’t always have simple answers.
One action I have decided - take this trip.
Several months ago, the idea popped up: what if we took a month and traveled? We have taken several two-week long trips over the years, but a month felt long, indulgent. Was it too much? How would we make it work? I was filled, as I often am, with an excitement about the idea and also apprehension over the logistics. Was it a smart decision? Was it the right thing? The right time? What if I hadn’t figured out what I was going to be doing for work yet? What about the financial risk?
I wandered through the peaks and valleys of these emotions, and ultimately decided, “If not now, when?” This is something we have always wanted to do. Our kids have the interest and the time, and we have the flexibility - elements we can’t take for granted. So we planned it - a big loop of a trip starting with time the Teton mountains of Wyoming that gives way to exploring the Dakotas and takes us into Canada. Over the course of the trip, the kids will go to camp, we will share time with friends, visit new places and drive hundreds of miles. We will ride bikes, go for hikes and see where the wind takes us. We will adventure.
But, what is adventure?
As we set out, I find myself wanting to articulate what adventure means to me, what it feels like and how it applies to this trip. I started with the dictionary’s definition:
A: an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks
B: an exciting or remarkable experience
Thanks Miriam Webster for this starting point. Yes, adventure is exploring the unknown, it’s a search for that epic, remarkable experience, AND it’s more than that. There is something internal and introspective about adventure.
Whenever I ponder “adventure” I immediately picture Carl from the Pixar movie, Up. The movie with the iconic image of a man setting out for a South American waterfall in a house suspended by hundreds of balloons. As a shy young boy, his childhood friend and then wife, introduces him to the concept of adventure. She is full of spunk and encourages him to try new things, explore new places and step outside his comfort zone to learn and grow. The phrase “adventure is out there” rings throughout the film. And while adventure is certainly out there in the far flung corners of the world, the film also explores the idea that adventure lies within us - it’s not only about exploring new places, it’s about discovering the depth of our own desires, the capacity we have as humans to connect with one another and to follow our hearts.
My take on adventure:
Adventure is “out there” and involves trying new things and exploring the unknown, and it’s also “in here” and involves listening to my internal voice of wonder.
Adventure encompasses the physical realm of pushing my body in new ways and the emotional experiences of digging deeper and growing with my boys.
Adventure is about tapping into the courage to follow my heart, and it’s about stepping outside of what feels comfortable and easy.
Adventure is about taking a risk to trust what feels right but may not yet make sense.
So, over the next several weeks, I’ll be sharing what crops up on this adventure - what exploring “out there” and “in here” has to offer. I am so glad I decided to go and thanks for joining me along the way.