Adventure: The Joy of Mini-Adventures

May 25, 2009

Spirit of Adventure Mondays at Quest for Balance are about finding ways for all of us to get excited about life. In fact, on my “Why Read This?” page, I use the following description:
 
“Whether we find happiness through grand adventures, or seek it in every-day places, we all want less pain and more joy. Quest for Balance is a place where people can be reminded that finding lasting happiness and inner peace is not only achievable, but surprisingly simple… for all of us!”
 
It is easy to fall into the trap of writing only about Grand Adventures, since they are thrilling, exciting and inspiring.  But the reality is, not all of us can go on those adventures. Or even if we can, most of us won’t be doing it full-time. So, how do we get excited about our regular day-to-day lives? How do we fit adventures in when we are constrained by schedules, budgets, and other inconvenient circumstances?

This weekend I was looking for answers to these questions, and new ideas for Simple Excursions, when I received the most amazing guest post from my friend, Jay (of Porsidan). Keep in mind, he had no idea I was writing about this particular topic. Either he was reading my mind, or the universe truly works in mysterious ways, because this is what he sent:

The Joy of the Mini-Adventure
By Jay Schryer

When people think of the term “adventure”, the image they often get involves doing something… away. They believe that “Adventure” involves excursions into the wilderness or travel to foreign countries. And while those kinds of adventures are certainly fun, there’s no rule that says you have to leave your hometown to have a truly grand adventure. In fact, these little “mini adventures” can often be more relaxing, and much more fun, because they are much simpler to prepare for, and much easier to manage.

Every Saturday, my mom comes over to visit. We go grocery shopping together, we go out to lunch together, and we run errands. Along the way, we almost always find some sort of trouble to get into. We enjoy finding new restaurants, new places to shop, and new ways to get to and from where we are going. My mom is a bit of a thrift-store junkie, so we’re always on the lookout for a new one to explore. Thrift stores are a form of mini-adventure all to themselves, as are used bookstores and yard sales. Spending a Saturday morning going to various yard sales is a time-honored form of the mini-adventure tradition!

Sometimes we buy stuff (got some new books on Saturday, as a matter of fact), but most of the time we don’t find anything we want or need. It doesn’t matter. We have fun spending time with each other and exploring together.

If shopping isn’t your “thing” (and honestly, it’s not mine, either), then there are lots of other ways to have a little adventure. Did you know that there are nearly 400 parks in the U.S. National Parks Service? There are parks in every state except Delaware. All of these parks provide ample opportunities to hike, explore nature, and learn about history. Some of them also allow fishing, swimming, and other outdoor activities at little or no cost. Many of them have visitors centers and museums attached for further learning opportunities. Most national parks can be enjoyed in a single day, and some only take a couple of hours.

Sometimes, the best adventures are the ones where you don’t really “do” anything. Just pile up in the car, pick a direction, and drive. Just get out of your town, and look for interesting things. Don’t be afraid to get lost (always carry a map or GPS with you, just in case!) Pick a little, tiny town that you’ve never been to before, and drive there with no other purpose than to see what is there. Maybe you find nothing, maybe you find something worth further investigation. Maybe you find a hidden treasure! Maybe you just eat lunch at a little diner and then turn around and come back home; or then again, maybe you find a quaint little bed and breakfast and spend the night. The point is just to get out of the house and enjoy doing something different from your normal routine.

One of the classic adventure quotes of all time is “Why climb a mountain? Because it’s there.” That same answer can be used to justify driving down a road that you’ve never driven on before, getting lost a new town or city that you’ve never explored before, or spending the night in a bed and breakfast in your hometown… just because you’ve never slept there before.

If you have an adventurous spirit, then you can have an adventure anywhere, and at anytime. You don’t need to go hundreds of miles away from your home, and you don’t need to spend a lot of money. The point of the mini adventure is to get out and have fun. It doesn’t matter what you do, just do it with a spirit of adventure.

Love,
Jay

Do you have a Spirit of Adventure?  What are some other ways we can get excited about our daily lives without having to summit Everest or spend a ton of money? 

Thanks!

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