A few days ago someone asked me what I’d been doing for fun lately. My reply reduced my life’s activities to work and responsibilities. I lied. I’m sorry. It wasn’t intentional. Somewhere along life’s journey I got an errant message that sharing the good things about my life should be limited. Maybe I feared it would be perceived as bragging. Maybe because I felt unworthy of the many blessings I’ve received. Whatever the reason, it is a bad message that will be ignored from now on. As I reflected on the things I’ve been doing, it was clear that I’ve been busy with really great stuff!

A couple of years ago, I promised myself that I would seek adventure in everything. Whether during business travel, dining out or investing in my passion. The promise was made and it has been kept. We tend to get stuck in routines. I’ll speak for myself. I get stuck. While some routine is necessary, switching things up can be exhilarating. When I made this promise I was preparing for a business trip. After years of the same old ‘flytodestination-work-grabdinner-checkintohotel-repeat’ routine, I was bored. Dramatically! So I crafted a plan to break out of the norm and enjoy some new stuff. It began with staying some place new and was followed by dining somewhere new. No carry-out allowed. Next was to visit a historical or special attraction in the local area. Then I started to intentionally engage in conversations with fellow travelers and strangers (no stranger-danger). Before long, the business travel experience I had become so bored with, evolved into something exciting. This change had real physical benefits too. I was no longer dragging myself to the airport or waking up to the same mass-produced hotel furnishings I’d slept in a million times before, feeling blah. My energy level improved along with my attitude.

Today adventure-seeking is a regular part of my life. In true adventurer form, I recently celebrated my birthday by learning how to stand-up paddle board. It was a fantastic experience that left me smiling for weeks. The next adventure led to one of my favorite places: New York City. I went there to attend a wellness conference to learn the latest and greatest in the wellness community (to share with you, of course). I also participated in my first cool-temperature (50°F) group fitness class (more to come on this). Of course I added more to the itinerary during the trip. I connected with friends; visited an herbal apothecary; participated in an impromptu photo-shoot; found the perfect Stetson to accommodate my big hair; joined the masses among the lights in Times square; trekked to DUMBO on a dark, rainy evening to capture the gorgeous Manhattan skyline on camera; explored the wonder that is Brooklyn; rested my head in a gorgeous AirBnb; ate fabulous food; got lost on the subway; witnessed dance acrobatics on the train; and walked over 15,000 steps each day. Whew!

Here’s my point: Choosing to seek adventure in life doesn’t mean we have to be thrill-seekers jumping out of planes or some equally death-defying activity. It means we intentionally look for and do things that turn our ordinary into extraordinary. Likewise, sharing the fun and exciting things about our lives is a good way to inspire others to seek their own adventure. Lesson learned.