Read How to Live a More Adventurous Life and Get out of Your Comfort Zone in 5 Simple Steps – Go on a New Adventure and Let That Adventurous Spirit Loose!

Do you ever get the feeling that something’s missing in your life? Are you sick of the “same ole, same ole” and tired of every day on repeat? Do you dream of switching it up and going on a life-changing escapade? Or at the bare minimum, trying something new, yet terrifying? If you feel life is meant to be enjoyed and experienced, not simply endured, this post is for you.

In a world filled with routines and responsibilities, it’s easy to fall victim to complacency and comfort. But what if I told you that there’s a whole world of excitement and wonder waiting just around the corner? Any corner. You just need to look.

Being adventurous isn’t only about hiking through jungles or going for a joy ride on a dune buggy; it’s about embracing the thrill of new encounters and trying new things. It’s about getting your heart beat up and feeling your gut turn, just a bit.

It’s about defeating your fears and achieving your goals. Picking an adventure and successfully completing it can and will open something within you. It’s a natural high that you’ll want to feel over and over again. There’s an adventure in everyday life! 

Doesn’t that interest you? I hope so! If yes, keep reading! In this article, I plan to explore the importance of adventure, how to break free from your comfort zone, where to find new adventures, and actionable steps you can take to infuse more excitement into your life. It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3, and sometimes 4 and 5. Enjoy!

1. Why Adventure Matters

I think it’s safe to argue that humanity wouldn’t have survived if we weren’t adventurous. It’s an instinct we need to seek new lands and learn more about the world around us. Without it. we would have been picked off by predators long ago by staying in our caves and hiding from the dangers of the world. At its very core, adventure is a survival tool.

Other great benefits are the mental health implications according to psychologists. It can improve your brain health! Something to do with brain synapses and neuroplasticity. Don’t believe me? Check out this quick article on the health benefits of being adventurous.

In fact, there are many, many reasons why undertaking a quest can do you good. I’ll list a few more –

• Expanding your knowledge
• Allowing you to connect with others
• Create memories that can be re-lived over and over again
• Gives inspiration to push your limits further and further
• Feel more alive!

Simply put, adventure is not about adrenaline-fueled activities; it’s about personal growth, resilience, and living life to the fullest.

It allows you to challenge yourself, build your confidence, and form a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you. Adventure can reignite your sense of curiosity and the joyous wonder all children possess. It can make you feel young again!

I’ll stop reasoning here, but there are so many other advantages to life’s colorful odysseys, it’s truly endless. When in doubt, ask yourself why you feel adventure is important and I’m sure that little voice in your head will tell ya!

2. Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

The first step in embracing life’s opportunities is breaking free from your circle of familiarity. It’s going right when you always go left. It’s picking an item off of a menu that you would never normally try. It’s doing the little things that shake up your day and force you to feel something new and exciting.

So what can you do? It’s easy. Start by identifying areas of your life where you feel stuck. It doesn’t have to be huge, just noticeable. Maybe you always go to the same beach, lake, river, or mountains for a weekend getaway. Next time look for another spot and go there.

Do you have active hobbies? Maybe you’re a dancing maniac, but you have never taken a class. Look into signing up for one! Want to meet new people? There’s a website for that!

It could be anything. Large or small. Never traveled abroad? Do some research and plan a mock trip to a foreign land. Afraid of snakes? Go to a reptile zoo and see how close you can get to a fearsome python. Feel like an introvert? Next time you’re in a grocery line, say hi to a stranger and give them a compliment. The point is to embrace discomfort, and use it as a stepping stone for your future growth.

It’s all about those baby steps. If you can open yourself up to new experiences, no matter the size or intensity, you’ll be able to build a foundation of personal strength that you can eventually rely on to face bigger and bigger fears. Progress over perfection!

3. Defining Your Goals

Ok, you’ve decided to step outside of what feels safe and have begun to do those little things to loosen up. Congrats, now the possibilities are endless! Like they say, the hardest step is usually the first. Now think about something grand. An activity that you have always wanted to do, but you’ve constantly talked yourself out of doing it. What keeps you up at night?

Does the thought of jumping out of a plane completely enthrall you? Maybe you’ve dreamt of going on a wildlife safari in Africa or paddling down the roaring rapids of Colorado. Whatever it is, pick something you’ve never done, have always thought of doing, but have been too timid to actually do.

It really doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s something that aligns with your interests and curiosity. I’m sure you’ve either pictured it already or the thought of it now sparks something wild within you.

Need help? No problem. Take a moment and grab a piece of paper and a pen. Now write down 3 things that thrill you. Better yet, 10. Write down 10 “crazy” things that people would never guess try.

Got em? Great. Let’s narrow them down. Pair them up and circle the one you’d rather go for, eventually getting to 5. Once you have those, start crossing off one by one the financially unrealistic or the ones that lack that certain “oomph”. Do this until you have narrowed it all the way down to 1. Boom, now you have a bucket list-worthy goal. Awesome!

4. Next Steps

After you’ve clearly outlined what you want to do, now you have to figure out how to do it. It’s going to be all about research. No matter how scary or outlandish something seems, learning more about it often causes it to lose some of that mystique.

Start reading up on whatever it is. You want to swim with sharks? Check out which types of sharks are generally safe to be around. After doing a quick search, It looks like reef sharks will leave you alone as long as you maintain a safe distance. Ok where can I go to swim with reef sharks? I live in CA, and it looks like La Jolla is a popular locale. Bam, it’s that easy.

After you’ve done a healthy amount of groundwork, now you need to set a schedule. Open up that calendar app and dedicate a specific date or dates that you can commit to. Is it going to cost a lot, well give yourself ample time to save up whatever you need and start putting those dollars in that piggy bank.

Does your adventure still seem too daunting? No sweat. Break it down into more manageable tasks. Maybe you’ve always wanted to go to Japan, but are intimidated by the customs or language, or simply being away from home. To combat this, I would look into taking a Japanese language course. Not only will this slowly introduce you into their way of life, it’ll also give you a sense of ease and confidence as your travel date approaches!

Create a plan, a budget, and actions you need to take. Once you have “dissected” it down from that mental monster in your mind, you’ll begin to gain more and more conviction. It’ll become easier and easier to work towards and you’ll lose bits and bits of that fear that engulfs you.

5. Maintaining the Right Mindset

You’re so close! You can feel it. As each day rolls by and your adventure nears, you might start getting cold feet. That’s completely normal. The important thing now is to stay motivated. Remind yourself why this goal is important to you and why you started this journey to begin with.

One way to keep the energy up is to surround yourself with positivity. Be it a friend, a family member or mentor, find somebody to discuss your progress and determination with. Just speaking about it out loud can do wonders for your mental health and enthusiasm! Also, when you tell others of your plans, it psychologically holds you accountable since you won’t want to disappoint them.

Another thing you’ll want to do is to stay flexible and adapt to any changes or challenges that come your way. Don’t let little roadblocks deter you from reaching the finish line. It’s the little “wins” that make it all worth while! All success is predicated on failure, remember that.

In fact, celebrate every small success you can. Say you’re on a mission to conquer a certain mountain. You daydream about strapping yourself into some ropes and scaling an epic cliff with nothing but empty space below you. You’ve devoted yourself into learning how to rock climb and you’ve even joined a rock climbing gym!

A great way to stay committed is to invite a friend to join you during one of your workouts. After the two of you finish, go out to dinner and have a great time! Tell your friend how you’ve improved after a few sessions on the wall and how you’re eventually going to scale that peak! This will keep your drive up and foot on the gas!

Once you’ve actually done what you set out to do, rejoice! Go out and paint the town red with anybody you can. Get that dopamine flowing! If you do, you’ll reinforce the delight of the entire experience and it’ll inspire you to keep going. Check out this awesome article about the wonders of merrymaking! – Why celebrating successes is important to our mental health.

Final Thoughts

Life is short. Most people think they have time to do everything they want to do, but how many countless stories have you heard about regret? To me, regret is the ultimate failure. It’s better to try and fail, than to never try at all. One of the scariest thoughts I have is being 80 years old and looking back at what I “should have done”.

If there’s something you want to do, do it! Take the reins of your life and steer it to where you want to go. Nobody is going to do it for you. If you’re afraid, or love coming up with excuses, talk it out with somebody. Join a group or do a bunch of research. Take action and I guarantee you’ll end up surprising yourself!

Remember, set small achievable goals that slightly push you outside of your comfort zone. Challenge yourself as you go and keep pushing the goalpost. Embrace the journey, the unknown, and the inevitable progression you will surely achieve.

So, what are you waiting for? Adventure awaits— welcome it with open arms and let the venture begin!