Adventure: Remixing Your Perspective

Date June 29, 2009

Last week I read a post on Alex’s blog, Unleash Reality, called Buddhist Butchers and Adventures of Change. I was so intrigued and inspired by the idea that I asked him if he would write a guest post for our Spirit of Adventure series, and he was happy to oblige. This is Alex’s take on a very cool way to remix your perspective on life.

adventure of change1 489x173 Adventure: Remixing Your Perspective

Adventures of Change: Remix Your Perspective

Life is Magical

Life is magically amazing.

…but it;s easy to forget that and get distracted from it.

It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind and reduce your experience to a series of mechanical to-do’s and stripped-down processes.

It’s easy to lose perspective.

But it’s also easy to inspire that perspective and reconnect to the amazingness of life–and what better way than an adventure.

Adventure of Change

Sparking change is easy. Realizing that it’s possible and good is a whole different thing.

As soon as you get up from your computer to go wherever it is that you’re going, take a different route.

If you’re at work right now, get up and go talk to somebody you don’t usually speak to.

Drive or walk a different way from work.

Stop at a coffee shop or cafe that you’ve never been to and order something you’ve never had before.

Smile at random people. Start a conversation. “Hey, how’s it going?’ works really well.

Next time you go to a restaurant, ask the waiter what he recommends. And have it.

When you get home, don’t do your usual throw keys on the table and then this and then that–do something different. Drop your stuff and go to a room that you don’t spend that much time in (we all have our favorite hang out spots–even in our homes).

Call up three friends that you haven’t spoken to in at least a year and ask them what they’re doing later. Push to hang out with them, doing something you’ve never done and never thought of doing.

…or get a friend you haven’t seen in ages to meet you at the local park. Take a picnic with some fruit you don’t usually eat and peanut butter sandwiches. Do a handstand and run around.

Take a class in something you’ve never done. Salsa, fire-spinning, and capoeira are highly recommended.

Tonight or this weekend, go to the center of town, close your eyes, spin around until you’re dizzy and then open your eyes and head in that direction. Stop at the first place that you’ve never been to. It can be somewhere to socialize, a shop, an art gallery, whatever.

Now you might not like whatever it is that you land up doing. But do it. As an experiment even. We cut and define a whole lot of likes and dislikes, closed-minded preferences that limit our experience and shrink our world.

Spend your entire day differently. Completely going with the flow of whatever happens, doing things differently to how you usually do them.

Remix Your Perspective

Spending a day completely going with the flow of life will make it clear how much space there actually is in what you’re doing because you remove yourself from the habit of your usual grind.

And that space–that adventurous whirlwind of possibility–brings perspective that reconnects you to life and warps you out of the well-oiled mechanics of daily life.

You take your whole movie a little less seriously.

…and you might discover a couple of things that you like, meet some new people and create some amazing memories–all of which will give you evidence that it’s possible. It’ll show you how much of life you’re censoring out by limiting your experience to the same thing over and over.

And that’ll remind you of how magical life is.

Enjoy the adventure.

Unleash Reality
Alex

So what do you think? Are you ready for an adventure of change? What small things could you do differently today to start shifting your perspective?

(Photo Credit)

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Comments
  • Rosa June 29, 2009 at 9:08 am

    ¨You take your whole movie a little less seriously.¨ >> I like this!
    Sometimes we just need to shake things up a little to remember how great life is, or like you said; magical. It might be scary at times, but definitely worth it, thanks for the reminder Alex :)
    HAPPY MONDAY ALL!
    .-= Rosa´s last blog ..Yo me río! – I laugh! =-.

  • Lyne June 29, 2009 at 9:09 am

    Awesome post Alex!! Nice simple tactics to create new adventures in your life ;-)
    I love it!!
    Lisis, While in the “Waiting Place” the wait, whatever it is could be fun with an “Adventure of change” and “Remixing our Perspective” along the way.
    Yes Alex, life is magical and I for one always am enjoying the adventures ;-)

    Lyne

  • Lisis June 29, 2009 at 9:13 am

    @ Rosa: That was one of my favorite lines from this post, too! Maybe you and I just ARE a little “less serious”, huh? ;)

  • MoneyFunk June 29, 2009 at 9:15 am

    Find a big grassy hill and roll all the way down it. :)
    Nice post. Thanks for the reminder that I need to live my life to the fullest.
    .-= MoneyFunk´s last blog ..5 Ways to Stretch a Food Budget =-.

  • Lisis June 29, 2009 at 9:15 am

    @ Lyne: You raise an excellent point! One of the things I discovered along the way yesterday, as I read through everyone’s comments on The Waiting Place, was that the waiting is part of the whole process. We need to find productive and fulfilling ways to deal with those inevitable waiting moments… and THIS is certainly one way.

    Thanks for dovetailing those two lessons so beautifully!!! :)

  • Lisis June 29, 2009 at 9:18 am

    @ MoneyFunk: Welcome to Q4B, and thanks for commenting here! Lord knows I need to learn “5 Ways to Stretch a Food Budget”, so I’m heading over to check out your post.

    BTW, Alex… I started replying to some of these comments since you’re on a whole different time zone. But feel free to jump in here and take over whenever you’re ready.

    :)

  • Glen June 29, 2009 at 9:45 am

    Ally u begin om te neem hierdie blogging gemors ernstig haai? oulike om te sien u om te plaas die werk in, Ek hoop dit betaal af.

    Gemors haha, so not the right word.

    Anyways, cool post man. I can’t believe you didn’t mention the imitation game, although the other adults here would probably just think you’re stupid. ;)

    - Glen
    .-= Glen´s last blog ..Expression Not Impression =-.

  • Nadia-HappyLotus June 29, 2009 at 10:22 am

    Hi Alex,

    Going with the flow is my philosophy for life and makes living a whole lot more fun. I would not want to live any other way. :)
    .-= Nadia-HappyLotus´s last blog ..What’s Your Purpose? =-.

  • Positively Present June 29, 2009 at 10:29 am

    I’ve been working hard on changing my perspective from a negative to a positive one and I loved reading this post about remixing your perspective. Great stuff here!!
    .-= Positively Present´s last blog ..5 ways to leave your fingerprints on the world =-.

  • Jay Schryer June 29, 2009 at 10:29 am

    Very, very cool article! I’m a big fan of the “pick a random direction and go that way” method of having new experiences. In fact, that’s one of my favorite things to do in the whole world. You never know what’s around the next bend, over the next hill, or across the next street…not until you explore at any rate. I’m a big, BIG fan of doing things “because it’s there.” I sometimes feel like there’s absolutely no better reason to do anything :)
    .-= Jay Schryer´s last blog ..Lazy Summer Days =-.

  • alex - unleash reality June 29, 2009 at 10:48 am

    @Lyne
    Hey Lyne!

    So glad you like it and got engaged in it :)

    enjoy the adventure ;)

    @Rosa
    Rosa Delue!!! :)

    That’s always one of my favourite parts. sound bytes and snappy lines ;) glad you likes! happy monday dearest :P

    @Lisis
    yip. you kids are inspiringly and splendidly unserious :D

    @MoneyFunk
    Awwwwwsome addition!!

    Roll down a hill. roll down a hill :) There’s a beautiful nature reserve just outta town here called “Kirstenbosch Gardens” – ideal place for picnic and there are concerts on sunday nights. best part: massive hills ;)

    @Glen
    U is kak mal jy plaas werker. dit sal betaal. oomlik. ;)

    wish i understood Tyne and Wear afrikaans better though :)

    what a gemors ;)

    the adults would go bonkers at the inspiration game. need to introduce them slowly lest we explode thier brains :)

    @all
    thanks for the comments.

    enjoy the adventure :)

    Keep well and in touch
    alex – unleash reality

  • alex - unleash reality June 29, 2009 at 11:59 am

    @Nadia
    Hey Nadia!!

    Great philosophy. “we’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time” :)

    @PositivelyPresent
    Hey Dani!!

    really glad you liked it and it helped! and thanks for the tweet! :)

    @Jay
    Yip. one of my favourite things. specially fun on dates ;)

    some of the idaes were inspired by your reply to another post here about the way you turn everything into a fun game :D

    exploring=legend status :P

    @all
    thanks again for the comments!

    keep well and in touch
    alex – unleash reality

  • Srinivas Rao June 29, 2009 at 12:48 pm

    Great post Alex. Reminds us to stop and enjoy the journey instead of getting caught up in the race to get to the destination.
    .-= Srinivas Rao´s last blog ..The Wright Way to Succeed =-.

  • Barbara Swafford June 29, 2009 at 3:12 pm

    I just did this: “Next time you go to a restaurant, ask the waiter what he recommends. And have it.” and was happily surprised.
    .-= Barbara Swafford´s last blog ..How To Capitalize On Your Blog Statistics =-.

  • Lisis June 29, 2009 at 3:16 pm

    You know what, Barbara? So did I! On Saturday I basically let a waiter order for me, and I looooooooooooooooooved that meal like nothing I’ve ever had before. I may have to use that strategy every time!

    :)

  • David Cain June 29, 2009 at 5:26 pm

    These are great ideas, Alex. You don’t have to take more than a step or two off the beaten path to get a fresh perspective. Reminds me of the scene in Dead Poet’s society where he stands on the desk just to get a different point of view.

    I’ll try some of these out on my day off.
    .-= David Cain´s last blog ..4 Brilliant Remarks From History’s Wisest American =-.

  • Nathalie Lussier June 29, 2009 at 10:39 pm

    I agree that wanting to change and actually making the changes is different. My boyfriend actually does a few of the things you mention, so he remixes my perspective all the time. :)
    .-= Nathalie Lussier´s last blog ..Home Garden Makeover & Redesign to Grow Your Own Food =-.

  • Lisis June 30, 2009 at 8:39 am

    @David: That scene in Dead Poet’s society changed MY view of the world. ;)

    @Nathalie: I know what you mean… my husband keeps things constantly remixed; I get a new perspective (or two) every day!

  • alex - unleash reality June 30, 2009 at 10:26 am

    @Srinivas Rao
    Sup sriniraoooo

    yip. “the journey is the destination” – one of my favourite quotes and book titles. evar.

    @Barbara Swafford
    awwwwsome

    i should have given a caveat since can def go either way but it’s still exciting and refreshing. glad it worked out well :)

    @David Cain
    i heart Dead Poet’s society :)

    give ‘em a go and let us know how it works out :)

    @Natalie Lussier
    haha. that’s kinda how i found a few of these. gotta keep a 2 year relationship fresh by remixing it up a lil ;)

    @All
    thanks for the great comments!!

    let us know how the adventures go!

    keep well and in touch
    alex – unleash reality
    .-= alex – unleash reality´s last blog ..How to Become Super Awesome: Get Excited! =-.