How to Thrive in 2021
How often do you go on adventures?
One a week? Twice a month? Never?
The word “adventure” can sound intimidating and incites visions of nothing less than snowboarding, skydiving, white water rafting, and shark diving. As long as it’s dangerous and insane, it’s an adventure!
While you know we love a good, crazy adventure, we think we are going to surprise you here. Adventure doesn’t have to be dangerous or intimidating and it doesn’t even have to happen outside. Adventure is all about living in and savoring each moment of our lives, and those moments can be small.
We are going to go out on a limb here and make a huge claim: if your life isn’t fulfilling, you’re probably missing some adventure. It’s what keeps life interesting. And here, in this post-2020 universe, we need an adventurous spirit more than ever.
So how do you thrive in 2021? You start adventuring.
WHAT IS ADVENTURE, REALLY?
We talk about adventure all the time here at Groove Life. Our blog is the “Adventure Blog.” We even filmed two seasons of a series on Amazon Prime and called it “Project Adventure.” The moment of climbing on top of a plane and standing there in the sky, feeling the wind in your hair… that’s awesome. Or jumping into the ocean way out at sea and intentionally looking for sharks.
You can’t beat that adrenaline rush! But, for us, the definition of adventure goes way deeper.
If you ask Google for the definition of adventure, here’s what you get: “An unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.”
We can think of a lot of things that fit this definition that have absolutely nothing to do with hiking boots, mountain ranges, or waterfalls, but they are unusual, exciting, and maybe even a little hazardous.
How about becoming a parent for the first time? That moment is, for you, absolutely unusual! It breaks the pattern of your past life and introduces something new and exciting and, yeah, it can definitely be hazardous! You’re experiencing risks you’ve never taken before - emotional risks, financial risks - but they’re all worth it for the thrill of being a parent and caring about someone else more than yourself. THAT is an adventure right there.
So, how do we create these adventures every day and begin to thrive in 2021? You can start today with just a few simple steps.
HOW TO CREATE EVERYDAY ADVENTURE AND THRIVE IN 2021.
START NOTICING THE “NORMAL” SPECIAL MOMENTS.
Beautiful things happen all around us every day but, in this technology-filled world, it’s easy to get distracted. The first step to finding adventure is simply to slow down and look around. Pause and enjoy the smell and taste of your meal. Enjoy the process of putting together a dinner, even if it’s as simple as macaroni and cheese. Turn on your favorite song on your work commute and roll the windows down, breathing in the fresh air. Take a moment to focus on the people you interact with throughout the day and feel gratitude for their presence in your life. If you’re a parent, pause and notice those brand new discoveries that your child is experiencing every day. Each of us experience countless beautiful moments each day, but so often they are missed in the chaos of life. Your first step is to just embrace what IS.
INTENTIONALLY CREATE AN EXPERIENCE EACH DAY.
Now that you’ve paused to appreciate the moments that naturally happen, it’s time to create some of your own. Challenge yourself to make one special memory each day. It sounds like a big undertaking but the application is simpler than you’d think. Schedule on a walk into your daily routine and don't bring any music or sound, just look at the sky and trees and listen to the birds. Call up a friend that you’ve missed for a while and tell them something you appreciate about them. Take the time to tuck in your kids and read them a story before bed. Ask your spouse for his or her favorite memory from childhood. These are simple, intentional steps but they create the magic of everyday adventure.
RECORD YOUR ADVENTURES AND LOOK BACK ON THEM OFTEN.
When life starts weighing heavy on us, it’s easy to forget the special things and instead look at other people’s ups on social media, forgetting that they have downs, too. That’s why, in this step, you can create your own private memory board of moments. When you experience a memorable adventure during your day, take a little video and save it to a “moments” folder on your phone. Whenever you feel down and wonder if your life is all that you hoped it would be, visit that folder and relive your adventures. This is a wonderful jumpstart for gratitude.
LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FUTURE.
As the final step toward thriving in 2021, work on realizing your dreams. Most people smack you in the face with inspirational quotes telling you to “go chase your dreams today!” We think that should be the last step after you’ve appreciated the value of your current existence. Once you’ve noticed the positive moments all throughout each day and started to create some of your own, now you can start looking ahead at a bigger plan. What is one thing you’ve always wanted to do? Start putting aside a little money each month and start planning how you can make it happen. Have you always wanted to spend a relaxing week by the ocean? Start saving and researching deals and make it happen. Have you hoped to hike the Grand Canyon? Start building your strength and exercising now. But as you look ahead at these exciting plans, never forget to look around and thrive in your present moment.
Adventure is incredible, but it doesn’t have to be out of reach. We never want to be so focused on reaching a distant goal that we miss the importance of today.
Now, get out there and, as the cliché saying goes, live your best life! If you need a little inspiration, head over to Prime Video and watch a few episodes of Project Adventure to see what kind of awesome memories you could make!
Keep Groovin’!
ABOUT GROOVE LIFE.
Groove Life started as the brainchild of adventurer Peter Goodwin. As he was living his dream of guiding tours in the bush of Alaska, he thought of a groundbreaking product that every adventurer needed to have: a breathable, durable, silicone wedding ring. Four years later, Groove Life provides breathable rings, watch bands, and comfy, durable belts to adrenaline junkies, first responders, moms, woodworkers, bodybuilders, grandparents, and other adventurers across the world. If you’d like to get your hands on this life changing gear, check out the Groove Life website.