Many of us are understandably feeling cabin fever while stuck in quarantine. That’s a choice, and not our only choice. The question I’m posing to myself, and that I invite you to ask yourself, is this: How can we live an adventurous life no matter what? What if our life is confined almost entirely within four walls? In asking this question, I realized we can consciously shift to an adventurous mindset, regardless of our external circumstances. Here’s what that looks like for me.
I was very adventurous as a young man. Maybe too adventurous in some respects, but happily so. I traveled on a whim and a shoestring, often without a plan, guidebook, or even speaking the local language. I would hit the road as often as I could, sleeping in a tent or my backseat for weeks or months at a time. I often ventured deep into the woods and mountains, on foot, on a bike, in a raft, rock climbing, you name it. I frequently moved to and explored new neighborhoods, new cities, and even new countries on new continents. I said yes to whatever random opportunity came my way, much like Jim Carrey’s character in the movie Yes Man.
Then life happened. I learned way too much about climate change, environmental destruction, social injustices, economic oppression, and political dysfunction. I went through some tough times of my own. Over time, I became jaded and cynical. Adventure lost much of its meaning and allure. Extended travel felt hollow, and backcountry excursions felt shallow. I stopped moving so much, and I largely stopped exploring the external world. I felt a little like the grumpy old man in Pixar’s Up who dreamed of an adventurous life but ended up just grumbling at children to get off my lawn.
But, a little like that old man, now I’m working on choosing adventure again, despite having seen and known everything I’ve seen and known. I’m writing a new story for myself. We always are, no doubt, but now I’m doing it with the conscious intention to be an adventurer no matter what. I’m choosing adventure, despite everything. This is hard-won adventure, and it doesn’t require a passport or a tent.
I can make my daily work into an adventure. I can be adventurously creative in my writing and other artistic pursuits. I can make a meal into an adventure. I can take an adventurous walk around the neighborhood. I can make my garden into an adventure. I can have adventurous relationships with my partner, my friends, my family, even with random strangers on the phone. Most importantly, my spiritual path and philosophical meanderings can be the biggest adventures of all.
My new approach feels apropos, given that we’re on lockdown and can’t go travel or hike mountains or whatever. It’s a like a big test. “You say you want to find adventure in anything and everything at any time? OK, smartypants, try finding adventure within the same four walls for the next two years.” No problem, snarky anonymous narrator, I got this. I can make adventure happen anytime, anywhere. And away we go!