Do you crave a more exciting life?
Did you used to be much more daring but now find yourself playing things safe?
Or have you always been a cautious type but now want to try walking on the wild side?
Whatever the case, you can break free from the humdrum and live a more exciting life starting today!
Check out some of the tips below for ideas on how you can start your new, adventuresome journey.
1. Be comfortable failing at something new.
When you were first learning how to walk, you almost certainly fell on your bottom (or your face) a lot. You might have gotten hurt a few times, not to mention pretty frustrated.
The thing is, you had to go through all of that in order to learn how to move your body around the right way. And now, you walk, run, and dance without giving those movements much thought at all, right?
You’re going to mess up when you start to learn anything new. If you’re learning to spin fire, you’re gonna get burned. That’s okay. Keep aloe and bandages handy and keep at it – you’ll improve your techniques and will heal quickly.
Want to make pottery? Then your first pots are going to look like absolute crap until you get the hang of how to work with the clay and the wheel.
When you know you’re going to be rubbish at something, you can face the initial horror show with grace and a good sense of humor. Keep going, and you’ll get a bit better at it every single day.
2. JDI: JUST DO IT!
This goes along with the previous suggestion and encourages you to just do the things you’ve been aching to do but have held back from doing for one reason or another.
Examine all your excuses for why you aren’t doing various things – the reasons you give to yourself an others as to why you haven’t done what you really want to do.
We tend to be really good at talking ourselves out of things, especially if we’re worried that we might get hurt or embarrassed in the process.
The best way to get past that is to just do it. The consequences might be crap, or they might be awesome. You might break your arm, or you might discover that this is your life’s true purpose.
The only way you’ll find out is if you try… and therein lies the excitement, right?
3. Get comfortable with discomfort.
Skip or delay meals so you feel a real bite of hunger before eating. It’ll sharpen your appetite and the food you consume will taste a lot better.
Shower in colder water than you’re used to, or step outside in brisk morning air to feel that chilly bite on your skin. Lean into physical pain and try to stretch it out or breathe through it before taking a painkiller.
Same goes for avoiding subjects that “trigger” you. The more you desensitize yourself to potential hurts, the more resilient you’ll be.
Besides, the world isn’t a safe or gentle place. Work to develop a wide array of coping mechanisms and you’ll be able to handle anything life throws at you.
4. Prioritize whatever it is you yearn for.
A lot of people hold off on things they really want to do until it’s the “right time.”
For instance, they might be waiting to move to another city until the person they’re dating gets a job there. Or they’ll put off a trip they’ve always dreamt about because the money they’d spend on it would be “better” spent repairing the roof, or getting a new car muffler, etc.
Life is short. Don’t wait on a time or person or any other factor to do whatever it is your soul is burning for. If something is truly important to you, then make it a top priority. Everything else can be sorted out later.
Be quietly ruthless. Ruthlessness isn’t a bad thing if used with care; the word just gets a bad rap because it can be used cruelly. Ruthlessness simply means that one is focused on their goals without allowing dead weight to impede them.
What does this look like in reality? Don’t tell others what you’re up to; keep yourself to yourself until you’re all set, and then carry out your plan swiftly and thoroughly.
5. Examine how much you’re ruled by societal expectations.
Do you feel as though there are a lot of things you want to do but you’re worried about what other people might think?
Are you subconsciously standing in your own way based on societal expectations?
Take some time to examine what social judgments seem to rule your day-to-day life.
For example, do you stop yourself from wearing certain clothes because they’re either too “young” or “old” for you? Maybe you’d love to go skateboarding or rock climbing but you’re afraid you’ll be the only person in traditionally religious clothing there.
“What’s the worst thing that could happen?” That’s what you should ask yourself if you actually did the things you want to do without worrying about other people judging you. Then realize that their opinions really don’t matter, and do it anyway.
6. Notice your aversions, and experience them instead of avoiding them.
Do one thing every day that scares you. Scrap that, you don’t have to do it daily; just do it often enough that you get over your fear rather than being ruled by it.
For example, let’s say that you get freaked out by spiders and get your partner to take them out of the house. Try desensitizing yourself by actually getting close to a spider when and if you see it. Or, if you’re feeling particularly brave that day, put it in a cup and take it outside by yourself.
Are there foods that you’ve been hesitant to try because they sound “weird” to you? Make a point of trying them anyway. Yeah, they’re outside of your comfort zone but that’s the point of this exercise – diving into things you’ve been avoiding instead of hiding from them. You might discover that you really love some dishes that initially looked strange or unappetizing to you.
By doing things that you would normally avoid or even run from, you build up your courage until it begins to override your natural apprehension. This can then be transferred to all sorts of adventurous and exciting opportunities and situations.
7. Allow yourself to be inspired by others.
Do you follow adventurous people on Instagram or other social media and marvel at how amazing their lives are? Ask yourself what it is about these people that you admire, and be really honest about it.
Is it their sense of freedom? Their fearlessness? Do they have really amazing gear? Are they in great physical shape? Or are they low-budget travelers backpacking their way around the globe?
Really observe those whom you perceive to be exciting, and pick their most successful and effective strategies as well as what experiences and attitudes seem to have made them that way. Then compare that to your own attitude and personal practices, and determine what changes you’d like to make in order to be more like those you admire.
8. Start small and work your way outwards.
If you’re generally a nervous type and are worried about taking a massively exciting leap into the unknown, start small.
You don’t have to buy a one-way ticket to Morocco and then hitchhike your way up to Siberia. Instead, you can go eat at a Moroccan restaurant and start learning Arabic for fun.
Do weekend road trips to places within a few hundred miles of you as a lead up to a potential cross-country trip. Or try jumping off the high diving board at the local pool to help you decide whether you actually want to bungee jump or skydive next year.
You don’t have to go all in all at once. Take baby steps.
9. Practice ambivalence towards others’ opinion of you.
Don’t be tied down by what you think you should be doing because others in your social circle or culture think that’s the way to be. Especially if they have zero experience in what they’re advising you not to do.
Additionally, take some time to really analyze why they’re trying to talk you out of various things. Is their advice coming from a good place? Or are they so scared to do what you want to do that they’re keeping you from doing so as well? Jealousy and fear of missing out are great motivators when it comes to other people trying to control your life.
If they don’t get to do things that they want, why should you be able to do them instead?
It’s the opposite of how parents try to live vicariously through their children by pushing them to do things they don’t want. They’ll instead keep the person from one adventure or another because they didn’t get to do it themselves.
10. Learn to adapt without solid contingency plans.
It’s always important to have a plan “B” in any situation. That said, you should also ensure that you’re not locked into that backup plan, but instead have the flexibility to adapt if the need arises.
When has a situation ever worked out the way you imagined? Seriously, even in conversations that you’ve rehearsed in your own head, there have always been different variables that you didn’t count on.
If you get too attached to a contingency plan, but the variables are beyond what you had considered, you’re likely to start panicking. Instead, practice jumping with a surprise parachute to see how you fare. For example you can try going camping with just a utility knife and some basic supplies rather than a fully packed kit.
Learning how to be self-sufficient and quick on your feet will help you in countless life situations.
11. Be ready to leave at any time.
This might sound callous, but it’s a mindset that can be surprisingly beneficial.
Have no attachment to places, material goods, or even people. You can still be loving, caring, and kind – especially toward your partner, parents, etc. – but you should also be able to pack your essentials and go if need be. You never know what life is going to throw at you, and the ability to “grab and go” on a dime is amazingly helpful.
Even doing this as a training exercise is helpful.
You can do a mental run-through about all the things that are needed for travel, and recognize that the rest is superfluous. Observe how this works in nature: flocks of migratory birds moving from one place to another without fretting about packing the good crystal… there’s none of the grinding emotional tensions that we humans seem to enjoy generating. No drama, no attachments.
It simply is what it is without any wasted effort. No drama, no fuss.
Just straight arrows of intention.
12. Make peace with mortality.
This one might sound scary but it’s probably the most important one that you can do.
The main thing that keeps people from living a more exciting and adventurous life is their fear of death. In fact, this fear is something that drives most folks. They try to “stay safe” by any means necessary, even though “safety” is a complete illusion. It doesn’t exist, and trying to cling to it will only hold you back from pushing yourself toward what you can really accomplish.
Once you’ve accepted that you could pretty much exit this world at any time, you’ll stop being so afraid of that reality. Furthermore, it can be a huge relief. If you’re not constantly worried about what could happen to you, then you’ll actually allow great things to happen to you.
13. Let go of any fear of confrontation.
Many people are terrified by the thought of confrontation and will avoid it at all costs. This is particularly common in our current climate where people are scared of possibly offending anyone by standing their ground instead of being victimized apologists.
It’s one thing to be antagonistic for its own sake, and another thing entirely to stand up for what you believe in. You can stand your ground without being abusive or insulting, and you might be surprised to discover how many people respect you for doing so.
Learn to stand your ground firmly if you know that you’re in the right about something. Alternatively, if it turns out that you’re in the wrong, then admit that with grace.
