Show Off Your Wild Side: Become More Adventurous

Tire of the same old same old? Ever want to try something bizarre and different or do something totally out of character - like come into your house through your window instead of your front door. I had to do this a few months ago because I locked myself out. It was funny until my neighbor saw my butt going through the side window. He hollered, "Did the full moon come out early?" Jerk! Anyway, trying something new can be an exhilarating experience. The biggest challenge is getting started.

Living near Asheville, North Carolina had opened my eyes to what it means to live an adventurous life. Places like San Francisco and Austin Texas have also learned to fly their freak flag high. All three places have adopted the slogan: "Keep Austin/Asheville/San Francisco Weird!" I admire their courageous and bold spirit.

Before you start your quest to become more adventurous you may need a few guidelines. The first is being able to identify your fears. You know what they are and once you've acknowledged them that will open the door to a whole new set of adventures. Whether, its fear of heights, public speaking, karaoke or fear of your mother-in-law, facing and identifying your fear is a good place to begin. Remember that fear is a biological response to worrying about death. Or as I like to put it, fear is just "Fantasy and Expectation Appearing Real." If the situation that scares you isn't life-threatening, there isn't any reason to be scared! Here my list of things you can do to kick-start the fearless adventurer in you.

Talk to strangers: Yes, I know that our parents warned us again this one but as adults it may lead to an unexpected adventure. Everybody has different experiences and a different background; every person can teach you something new. Maybe that guy sitting across from you at the coffee shop can show you how to climb a mountain. Maybe the grumpy old lady in the library can teach you how to preserve peaches. Or, the quiet girl at the bar can offer you a place to stay with her cousin in Buenos Aires, or Austria, or Italy. Get over your approach anxiety and start talking to people! So what if they ignore you, keep trying. Of course this goes without saying never go anywhere alone with a stranger. Stay in public and well populated areas. If you are in a bar suggest a game of darts or in a local park start up a soft ball game. These are safe ice-breaker activities.

Get lost: This is one of the most terrifying suggestions for me since I have a great fear of being lost. However, I did take my own suggestion and got lost. I ended up in Mount Airy, North Carolina also known as Mayberry the fictional home of Andy Griffith. Once in a while, spend a day off just driving around randomly and seeing what you come across. Try using a map instead of your GPS. The map may guide you to local areas or places of interest you've never thought to visit. That's how we discovered the town we currently live in .

Make a Do-it-Now list: A Do-It-Now list is the opposite of a Bucket List. The Bucket List is an inventory of things you plan to do before you die, however, a Do-It-Now list are things you want to do right now - total spontaneity. On a dare, I once walked up to a celebrity (Antonio Banderas) during a film shoot in Philadelphia and carried on a conversation for 5-minutes before he realized he didn't know me. It was an unbelievable rush!

Be Creative: Choose activities both realistic and unrealistic. Paint a mural of Paris or Hawaii on your dull kitchen wall or learn to ride a unicycle. To get those creative juices flowing image yourself doing something unrealistic like singing with Lady Ga Ga in the middle of a shopping mall, get shipwrecked on a desert island with Johnny Depp's character Captain Jack Sparrow or maybe skydiving naked in Peru with Johnny Depp or get a new tattoo of a naked Johnny Depp. Okay, these are suggestions from my personal Do-It-Now list, however, by putting these thoughts out there - who knows what may happen. Organize a group of friends and go ice skating in your old high school prom outfits. Remember the list is your exercise in spontaneity, so get to it!

Live in the moment: Adventurers are experts in focusing on the journey rather than the destination. Yes, they generally have a goal in mind, but when you're trying new things, plans always change and your route will, too! You'll need to be resourceful and more importantly be a good sport. When things go wrong (and trust me they will or else you're not challenging your comfort zone) don't get discouraged; reevaluate your options, pick one, and charge forward with your life. The time to embark on your spontaneous adventure is right now!

Source(s):
http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure
My personal adventurous experiences