Choosing the next adventure

I’m currently living in small-town Canada skiing for six months. Eighteen months ago I was in the French Alps doing the same thing. And seven years ago my partner and I left New Zealand with a plan to live in London for a few years and no idea of the places we would see, the jobs we would do, the adventures we would have or that the mountains would feature so much in our lives.

So when a friend asked the other day

How do you choose what adventure to do next?

it made me stop and think. Travel and people are an important part of my life but nowhere was it on a five-year plan that I would spend so much of my time skiing. In fact until we moved to London I hadn’t skied in over 15 years. Nowhere did I state that I wanted to work for myself and find ways to help other people live meaningful and inspiring lives. But these things just evolve.

It is almost as though by the time the decision comes to do something it has already been decided.

The more you talk about something and the more you investigate it and discuss it, by the time it comes to actually booking the flight or finding a flat to live in it is already a reality. The moment you bring the idea to life by talking about it, you have already started to make it happen.

At any one time my partner and I are discussing numerous possibilities for what next. It isn’t that we just dream them and then “hope” they will happen; we continue to discuss and investigate. We talk and decide what parts of the various dreams we like and why.  We think about the pros and cons of each choice. Then we continue to investigate and think about them, until one all of a sudden is brought to life and then we go ahead and make it happen.

At the moment we are currently discussing the possibility of running a retreat-style company in Canada, setting up a ski-related business in New Zealand, living on a narrowboat for six months in London in summer and skiing in Europe in winter, buying a piece of land and living off the grid in a small cabin somewhere in the world, buying a campervan and touring around Europe for six months at a time, buying a house in London and running a snow-tour business from London. Each of those dreams excites us in some way and one will lead us to our next adventure – we just don’t know which one it is yet!

So when thinking about your next adventure, dream big and dream often. But more than dream, take some action too.

Make small steps and investigations

Research. Talk to people. Find out what the reality of your dream actually is. Keep the actions small and regular. By taking small steps you have made a big decision without really realising.

Don’t hold too tightly to one vision

If you put all your eggs in one basket and hold one vision so tightly you are likely to miss out on amazing opportunities that are around you all the time.

Be open to opportunities

You never know where the next opportunity will come from. Be open to ideas and discussions with others and see what sparks your interest, excitement or intrigue.

Don’t push

It is my belief that if it is a struggle it isn’t the right dream or the right time for that dream. When things start coming together easily and freely then that is a sign you are on the right track for now. Now this doesn’t mean everything in life is easy; you do have to work for it. But if each time you try to take a step forward you get pushed back three, try to see if there is another path opening up for you.

Trust that the right one will happen

When you can trust that what is meant to be will take place, then you lighten the load and enjoy the journey.

Listen to your gut / intuition / body / heart

I have found that intuition is often a much better guide than your head. So take note of how your body responds to certain dreams and ideas and listen to that whisper deep within your soul – it is pointing you to where you want to head. Does the idea or dream leave you feeling expansive and open or shut down and small? Go for the expansive option each time.