I recently watched a video that stirred up a lot of emotion inside of me.
It was a video of a close friend who is on the adventure of a lifetime.
She was strapped in by her ankles and standing on top of a bridge. You could tell that she was facing fear head on and you knew, you just knew, that she was determined to conquer it. The way she stepped towards the edge was something that I have never seen in her before. She had courage and excitement. They counted down: 5...4...3...2...1...and she leapt off the bridge and took the plunge (or bunge!). Bungee jumping in New Zealand. OMFG!
While I watched I was proud, scared and I found myself feeling a little bit envious. She is pushing her boundaries and I can honestly say that I would have never imagined it to be possible...until I saw it with my own 2 eyes.
I think that that moment is very symbolic and it will be a transcendent one in her life. It's like she told the world, "Screw you! I am brave. I am sick of always making the "right" decisions. I am sick of standing on the edge of this bridge, contemplating what comes next. I am ready to start living"!!! And with that strength behind her decision, she dove into a new realm of herself; full of confidence, awareness and ready to stop settling with just standing on the edge.
It got me to thinking; my life is seriously lacking adventure. My life is wonderful, but I am still sitting perched in the middle of comfort. I am not pushing myself as far as I should be.
This quote comes to mind:
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away" - Anonymous
I have had quite a few moments in my life that have been beyond the point of thrilling, adrenaline pumping and dream like. My breath has been taken away on numerous occasions. But at the moment, I feel a little trapped in comfort.
Removing ourselves from our comfort zones is the only way that we can learn, grow and evolve. I continually encourage others to push themselves, disregard judgment and to start living the life that they want. But am I preaching something that I am actually internally afraid of committing to myself?
I tried to make a list of everything that I want to experience in my lifetime...I was sadly disappointed. There was nothing that I felt like I needed or wanted to do. Of course I have goals and dreams, but there was nothing that I could write down with full confidence that got me excited about adventure. It was an epiphany moment for me actually...how can someone have nothing on their bucket list?
This needs to change.
Another friend and I were out for a coffee the other day and he mentioned that he wants to live experiences and not read about them. I thought that was pretty profound and poetic. Reading and dreaming about something is always a great way to get ideas, but you can never be changed by an experience until you have lived it.
I almost feel as if I need to take a giant risk of some sort. I don't know what that risk needs to be though. Should I go on a trip, all on my lonesome? Should I move to somewhere entirely new? Should I go bungee jumping??!
The good thing is that I have a plan for my future. But it is a safe plan. It is a plan that I know will bring me lots of joy and excitement, but it is a plan that just might have me feeling like I am wrapped in comfort. My plan revolves a lot around what I know. And this is scaring me a bit. I don't want to look back on my life and wish that I had 'lived' and 'learned' more.
What is on your adventurous 'things to do' list?
For the time being, while I contemplate mine, I guess I will just tie up my feet with a bungee cord and pretend that I am diving into a new realm of myself...
Kyle
10 comments:
Here's the start of my list:
http://campofiorin.livejournal.com/981.html
Some of these things may not seem typically adventurous, but they all hold meaning.
Im sixteen, and am starting my adventures very early! I leave next week to spend 5 months in Europe as an exchange student! Its scary, but the things that we fear the most usually give us the most satisfaction when we overcome them.
Hey Kyle,
If your future plan is what you want... why are you worried it isn't adventurous enough?
Life is what you make it and we are not all meant to climb Mt. Everest or swim with sharks.
If your plan brings you joy and excitement, why would you judge it against anyone's adventures!?
Kyle, you have lived a lifetime of achieving dreams. For someone like yourself your future plan might seem a touch comfortable but that might be a good thing.
My list is quite lengthy but has some of the most simple things on there such as owing a dog. Now for some people that might sound crazy but for me (someone who has never had a pet and was afraid of most animals most of her life) owning a dog would be a huge thing in my life. Then again, I also have walking along the Great Wall of China as something on my list too.
All I wanted to share was that your list and future, is just that... YOURS.
Just like in your post before this one...
Don't let your light not shine because you think your light isn't adventurous enough.
Be well!
J
If seems like you're searching really hard to find fulfillment. Nothing is big enough. You'll try one thing, and that will satisfy you for a little bit but then you'll need more, and more, and more. Maybe you should stop running from God. His hand is reaching out, you just have to grab it. Sorry for the cheesiness, but it's true. He changed my life.
Elizabeth
go to Afghanistan and try for the reward on OBL's head. Real life gymkata...KT only did movies
"it's better to burn out than to fade away" (as infamous as it may be)
do drugs?
DON'T DO DRUGS!!! Although I know Kyle already knows that, whoever wrote that should smarten up.
get laid?
I would really like to travel and do "helping" work, whether it be cooking for people or working with a camel library in a third-world country or spending a year in a buddhist abbey working as part of the community. I love the idea of going to new places and meeting people and leaving some happiness with them.
I also love learning new skills; I want to take martial arts, rowing, more forms of dance than the ones I already do, run, play soccer, lift weights - I'll have to pick one per year or I'll never have time to sleep!
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