Last week I wrote a guest post at the Sierra Social Hub titled Fitting Adventure in a Busy Life. The basic premise is that adventure comes in many forms. Not all adventures are planned. Not all adventures are “epic” in scope, nor do they need be. And it doesn’t require quitting your 9-to-5 and living out of a big yellow van (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
I boiled it down to four key points:
1. Throw out your preconceived notions of adventure. You can have more adventure in your life, and on a regular basis. It just requires thinking differently about what adventure is and is not.
2. Define what adventure means to you. Don’t let the Discovery Channel dictate what constitutes adventure; adventure is for you to define. As Paul Simon said, “One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor.”
3. Make adventure a priority. If you really want adventure, you’ll have to plan time for it. It won’t often come searching for you on your couch. Get up, get outside, and get on the trail!
4. Bring others along for the adventure. Adventures are often better shared. Bring along your kids, your significant other or your friends. Make adventure social.
To follow up to this guest blog, Sierra Trading Post hosted a tweet chat using the hash tag #STPLive, where we continued the discussion on adventure. Here are a few of the highlights.
Q1: How do you define adventure?
@TheSoCalHiker A1. Exploration w/unknown results. Learning new things. #stplive
— Traci (@WalkSimply) September 5, 2013
@TheSoCalHiker A1: Doing stuff that I would have been scared to do a year ago. Goalposts always moving! #STPLive
— Toby Butterfield (@BaoDehui) September 5, 2013
@thesocalhiker @sierratp #STPLive A1 Hard Question. Adventure is when it hurts.
— Keese (@KeeseTL) September 5, 2013
@TheSoCalHiker A1: setting off on a path I've never hiked with no time constraints. #STPLive
— Jeff Turner (@jeffturner) September 5, 2013
Q2: What’s your number one excuse for avoiding adventure?
A2. Sometimes life itself is an adventure, and the mundane is more relaxing. #STPLive
— Kim Sharpe Jones (@seattlekim) September 5, 2013
A2: Work, kids, family, time, other obligations… Did you say #1? #STPLive
— Andy Hawbaker (@AndyHawbaker) September 5, 2013
A2: I'm too tired #STPLive
— The Weekend Warrior (@JustinLFricke) September 5, 2013
@Sierratp A2. Usually time or money. So my definition is broad and wide allowing for all sorts of adventures. Never bored. #stplive
— Traci (@WalkSimply) September 5, 2013
Q3: What was your most memorable adventure?
@TheSoCalHiker A3: Moving to CO unemployed w/o friends. Once we got here – our stormy #RMNP hike that was a little too risky #STPLive
— Heidi Nicole (@runaroundaroo) September 5, 2013
@TheSoCalHiker A4: Hiking and spending the night on the Great Wall of China. The old, rubles section. #STPlive
— Howell (@MissouriHowell) September 5, 2013
A3: noob backpacking trip, our first time at Havasu Falls many moons ago. So many lessons learned #neverhikewithshortshorts #STPLive
— Oshie (@purpleosh) September 5, 2013
A3. Most memorable adventure… wow. Backpacking the Bernese Oberland maybe? We were on foot/using transit for 15+ days. #STPlive
— Kim Sharpe Jones (@seattlekim) September 5, 2013
A3 Having #Yosemite 's redwoods to myself for 1/2 a day #STPLive
— ADKinLA (@ADKinLA) September 5, 2013
@thesocalhiker A3: Currently still thinking about the #JMT That was an adventure. #STPLive
— Andy Hawbaker (@AndyHawbaker) September 5, 2013
Q4: What was one of your preconceived notions about adventure?
A5: that it's expensive. (not always) #STPLive
— Oshie (@purpleosh) September 5, 2013
@Sierratp A4: That you have to go all out to have it count as an "adventure" – ie: run 350 miles, hike 14 mtns in a week, etc. #STPLive
— Heidi Nicole (@runaroundaroo) September 5, 2013
@TheSoCalHiker @Sierratp A4: That it can't be found close to home. #STPlive
— Howell (@MissouriHowell) September 5, 2013
Q5: How do you fit more adventure into your week?
@TheSoCalHiker go outdoors BEFORE or AFTER work, school, etc. beach nights! #stplive pic.twitter.com/zSQqSFajuM
— Traci (@WalkSimply) September 5, 2013
A5: Work through my lunch break at work, so I make sure I'm good to leave at 5:30 #STPLive
— The Weekend Warrior (@JustinLFricke) September 5, 2013
@TheSoCalHiker A5: I say "yes" to almost everything. That usually gets me a few adventures. #STPLive
— Heidi Nicole (@runaroundaroo) September 5, 2013
A5: Making it a priority. Little mid-week adventures, bigger weekend ones. #STPLive
— Jeff Hester (@TheSoCalHiker) September 5, 2013
Q6: Does it matter how other people define adventure?
No. Hike your own hike and Live your own Adventure. RT @Sierratp: #STPLive Q6 Does it matter how other people define adventure?”
— Andy Hawbaker (@AndyHawbaker) September 5, 2013
A6. Adventure is different for everyone! …I say to myself whenever a trail runner passes me going up hill. #STPlive
— Kim Sharpe Jones (@seattlekim) September 5, 2013
Q7: What was your last mini-adventure?
A7: I take a little walk over to a pond a few blocks from the office every day. Nothing huge but its a nice little break. #stplive
— Andy Hawbaker (@AndyHawbaker) September 5, 2013
@TheSoCalHiker A7: We randomly scrambled up a 13er on the way down from Redcloud/Sunshine – probably the sketchiest climb ever. #STPLive
— Heidi Nicole (@runaroundaroo) September 5, 2013
A7: A Happy Hour hike up Echo Mountain at sunset. #mini-adventure #STPLive http://t.co/wsQoqJn9ta
— Jeff Hester (@TheSoCalHiker) September 8, 2013
Q8: What is your next big adventure?
A8: week long climbing trip to NC in October #STPLive
— The Weekend Warrior (@JustinLFricke) September 5, 2013
@Sierratp A8: Wonderland Trail. 9 days to go! #stplive
— Howell (@MissouriHowell) September 5, 2013
A8. Hiking Beehive Basin in Big Sky on Saturday… followed by a week in the Tetons #excited #vacation #STPlive
— Kim Sharpe Jones (@seattlekim) September 5, 2013
Q9: How do you deal with losing motivation mid-adventure?
A9 Give me a few adventures. Lets see if I lose motivation (hasn't happened yet) #STPLive
— Christine McCarthy (@OatmealBowl) September 5, 2013
@TheSoCalHiker A9. Eat something? Lol. Rest? #stplive
— Traci (@WalkSimply) September 5, 2013
@JustinLFricke singing always makes things better.. no matter how off-key I get LOL #STPLive
— Oshie (@purpleosh) September 5, 2013
@TheSoCalHiker I sit down a cry. Not…maybe… 🙂 Usually I need to take a minute to readjust my mindset or eat. #STPLive
— Heidi Nicole (@runaroundaroo) September 5, 2013
@TheSoCalHiker #stplive A9 Remind myself that there is a cold beer in the back of the truck.
— John Sills (@johnsills) September 5, 2013
Q10: Tag your favorite adventure buddies
A10: I'm making an effort here. @karraj33 @davidwherry @huttondh @JessLHutton @Shawninthewild @JoshuaRiggins @DeskToDirtbag #STPLive
— Darren Rettburg (@CrashDarren) September 5, 2013
@TheSoCalHiker @100peaks @last_adventurer @WalkSimply @greeneadventurs @jcmcnair Awww You are my favorites as well! #STPLive
— ADKinLA (@ADKinLA) September 5, 2013
A10. So many. Ditto @TheSoCalHiker said! Plus, @melissabravery @AdventureTykes @OCPlayParks @GoExploreNature @jen_fontaine #STPLive
— Traci (@WalkSimply) September 5, 2013
@Sierratp A10: Adventure Buddies:: @paulamahla @lgsmash @AColoradoGal + a pile of people too cool for Twitter! #STPLive
— Heidi Nicole (@runaroundaroo) September 5, 2013
As you can see, everyone defines adventure differently and that’s okay. I had a great time co-hosting the tweet chat and thank Andy Hawbacker and Sierra Trading Post for the opportunity, and thank everyone who participated.
The #STPLive tweet chat is held each Thursday at 3pm Pacific. To join, just sign in to Twitter and search for #STPLive.
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