“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.” - George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons
A common ingredient in any speculative fiction story is the element of adventure. But what about adding that element to our own lives? It can be as simple as a change or new experience.
Here are my top three favorite ways to cultivate a sense of adventure in the real world.
1) Seek and seize opportunities
Wherever I go, I keep my eyes and ears open for anything new or unique to try.
Sometimes, for better or worse, it's a change that finds me. In either case, I try to focus on the positive and view it as an opportunity to explore, to travel down a path I hadn't considered.
2) Don't over think it
Overthinking is an open door for fear.
Just getting near the railing of a second story balcony takes my breath away. The only way I've been able to do things like tandem skydiving and climbing the Mayan Ruins of Lamanai is by doing it and not thinking about it while I'm doing it. Focusing only on getting to the next step, blocking out everything else, has been surprisingly effective (for studying the craft of writing as well).
3) Embrace failure
Failure is a rite of passage for adventurers, and quitting is the only way to make it permanent.
Success is the result of persistence in spite of failure. Don't give up!
I like this post! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jill! Glad you enjoyed it. :)
DeleteGreat post. Overthinking can certainly lead to fear!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lizze! :)
DeleteFun post, KaLyn! And I'm very impressed you've gone skydiving! I'm not much of an adventurer naturally, so I think a bit part of it for me is finding the right person to tag along with (or be dragged along by, as the case may be).
ReplyDeleteThanks, Laurie! <3 This writing journey we all share has really been the biggest adventure. Maybe one day we could do a Lands Uncharted field trip! :)
DeleteOoh, yes please!
Delete