Lead a vivid life that does good

Tag: adventure

Explorers

Explore anything anywhere anytimeWhen I was a kid, before you could ‘google maps’ the entire earth, I day dreamed of exploring the vast pacific ocean and discovering some distant new island.

Nowadays, explorers are mostly people from ages past, that we watch in documentaries, or read about in children’s books. I don’t know of any parents who want their kids to grow up being explorers.

But explorers is exactly what we should be.

Explorers are brave. Bold. Adventurous.

And to explore means to search. Scrutinize. Investigate. Discover.

Which means we can all choose to be explorers.

We still need explorers!

You & I have the opportunity every day, to discover something new.

We can explore new cultures by talking to a stranger. We can explore new foods. We can explore new neighbourhoods. We can explore new ideas.

We can explore anything.

Anywhere.

Anytime.

If you are brave enough.

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

When was the last time you did something newThe other week I tried riding a Segway/Hover Board for the first time. It didn’t go well; I lost balance, crashed, then gave up after one attempt fearing injury and a bruising to my ego. Not surprisingly my son with his young plastic mind got it almost straight away.

Doing something for the first time is healthy for your mind. It causes the brain to learn and adapt to new knowledge.

Doing something for the first time is risky. You might get hurt, emotionally or relationally or even physically. Often you won’t enjoy it the first time, because it’s hard to learn or do something new.

That shouldn’t stop you trying.

We should make doing something for the first time a goal for each week.

It could be the first time you do something adventurous like Wake Boarding. The first time you read a new author. The first time you have lunch with your neighbour. The first time we walk somewhere we normally drive. The first time you learn a new skill. The first time you watch a TED video, or the 100th time but the first time you watch one that doesn’t appeal to you.

So many ways to do something for the first time.

What’s really stopping you?

Does fear steal freedom?

Fear takes freedomLast week I was out running with Jay tagging along on his bike. As I ran, a seagull became increasingly disturbed with my presence and finally started dive bombing me. We sought shelter under some trees and, once the bird was over it, we carried on.

It is fair to say Jay was freaked out by the bird. He was afraid or fearful.

Like all fear if it was left unchecked, it would steal his freedom. If he allowed himself to become afraid of all seagulls or even all birds then he could avoid beaches or places where there are a lot of birds. When that happens freedom is lost.

Ultimately that’s what Terrorism does. Makes us fear and give away freedom by avoiding travel or amazing experiences.

So does a fear of failure.

Or a fear of meeting new people.

Or even a fear of asking ‘dumb’ questions.

Fear is the opposite of freedom.

Next time your stomach churns a little, your heart races and fear starts to set in. Stop and check that fear … is it something you should really be afraid of?

Or is it a call to step out.

To be bold.

Is it a call to freedom?

as the winds of change blow do you lean in and fight, or harness the change and sail off on an adventure

Change is constantly upon us, and the winds of change are always blowing in our lives.

So often we lean in against the change. Fight it. And burn a heap of energy trying to get back to where we came from.

Usually, in the end, the change forces us there anyway, and we arrive there beaten and bruised and worn out.

When we fight change hard, we actually miss the opportunity to share in the adventure and journey of the new direction.

Next time change is upon you, you have a choice:

Lean in and fight,

or

go with it and head off on the adventure!

Twelve : 12 memorable things for the 12 months of the year 12.

Twelve - Project Leap begins. A photo each day from 1 Jan 12 to 31 Dec 12. 366 photos in total, including the leap day | 1/366

Happy New Year and welcome to the year of 12.

Because it’s the year 12, and because there are 12 months in the year, why not have a 12 list?

A 12 list is kind of like a bucket list but easier, and just for the year. I think the idea beats new years resolutions (although Jim’s new years resolution is good).

A 12 list is a list of simple memorable things you want to do this year. Don’t worry about the order, or when you will do them. Just list 12 things, anything, as they come to mind.

Then pick one a month and do it, don’t forget to take your camera to record the memory.

Here is my 12 list:

  1. Have a snow fight with my family
  2. Visit Cape Reinga
  3. Marvel at a sunrise
  4. Catch a fish with Jayden
  5. Take my wife on a picnic (without kids)
  6. Fly again
  7. Have someone I have yet to meet, over for dinner
  8. Visit a good.water project
  9. Catch up with a person I didn’t see last year
  10. Go caving
  11. Have a bbq at the beach
  12. Take my kids to a NZ city they haven’t been to before

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‘Twelve’ – Project Leap begins. A photo each day from 1 Jan 12 to 31 Dec 12. 366 photos in total, including the leap day | 1/366