Life is a trip that only stops when you do; only once your body gives out will your trip on Earth end.
Much like a road trip, the stops along the way to that final destination are what makes the trip worthwhile, but the car will never stop at any of those roadside attractions if you aren’t willing to get a little outside of your comfort zone and try something new.
So, what is stopping you?
Diverting from being strictly about the outdoors, this week’s article is much more related to a drive for adventure and a thirst for life, which can be experienced in the outdoors.
Trying something new is literally how every hobby is started. No one ever begins playing instruments like Bob Marley and no one ever knows how to fly a plane like Amelia Earhart right out of the womb.
You have to search outside of your comfort zone to accomplish practically everything in life.
With the ever-evolving world that we live in, this desire and need to find somewhere new and test your limits have gone by the wayside. Constantly we are offered an easy way out, a safe place to escape to when we feel a little bit uncomfortable, and our generation is the most prone to this because of technology.
When our parents, grandparents and ancestors ever had to do something, there was no Googling how to do it, no Tinder to expedite the dating process—there was only face to face communication and a willingness to adventure.
Nowadays it is so simple to stay inside and watch Netflix, god knows I have, instead of taking a leap and finding a new experience to partake in. Whether that be going to a party, going for a night hike with random people or skinny dipping in the neighborhood pool, new experiences offer your life a much fantastic experience to partake in and offer you the chance to truly get to know yourself.
Trying something new and taking a brand new adventure is the spice to life that many need to at least try every now and then, so they can either learn from it or be able to say that they have.
Take cliff jumping for example. In my experience, cliff jumping is super exhilarating and I do it with every chance that I get because of the very first time that I tried it when I was in the sixth grade.
The build-up to walking to the edge of the cliff and looking down at the water below is so tense and makes several people bail, but if you are willing to take the next step and leap off of the cliff, there is a moment of pure fear and excitement right when gravity starts to drag you down through empty space towards the water several feet below.
Once you hit the water and come back up for air, nothing but excitement remains, and you are asking for another turn. On the other hand, one of my friends, let’s say her name was Alyssa, had a very different experience.
Over the past summer, she went on an afternoon outing to go river floating with some of her friends and along the way was a cliff that was notorious for diving. They all decided to go for it and try it out. Alyssa hadn’t ever done it before and was feeling very uncomfortable and nervous.
When it was her turn to jump, she took a long time to finally commit to it and when she finally did, she decided that cliff jumping wasn’t for her. Alyssa said that the entire way down to the water she was screaming and once she was swimming in the water, totally fine, she couldn’t feel her legs or hands because she was so scared and so much adrenaline was coursing around her body.
Despite the fact Alyssa didn’t like this new experience, having done it she can now say that she hates it and will never do it again. Prior to it, there was no way to tell whether or not you will like something outside of your comfort zone until you try it.
Once you do that, the jury will be out and even if it wasn’t ideal, a funny story will probably come from it that you, or your friend, can tell over the years that are more filled than if you hadn’t done it at all.
New experiences are what keeps life from getting dull. From taking a dive from the top of a cliff to taking a dive into a new job, there are infinite things for people to try if they are looking to grow by seeking discomfort.
Going out on a limb to find out what you like, to meet new people or to gain a couple of stories will make your life much more eventful and open you up to new experiences that many wouldn’t even dream of accomplishing.
So go out and try something new, your memory will thank you for it.
