3 EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES TO MAINTAIN YOUR SENSE OF ADVENTURE

Ever since I was very young, I’ve had a strong sense of adventure. I loved to be outside.  My friends and I would run through the woods daily, playing tag, swimming in the creek, etc.  I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t love to be outside.  I didn’t really know what I wanted to be when I grew up but I knew that if I was outside and exploring, I would be happy.

Being a professional climber has allowed me to hang on to that sense of adventure.  Sometimes, I am overwhelmed by the places I get to go and see in the world.  New places always excite me no matter where I am going. I like to try and see and do as much as I can whenever I travel. 

However, sometimes, I find myself at home or extended periods of time going back to the gyms and outdoor spots I have been hundreds if not thousands of times before.  Most people tend to get bored of this, but I try to take another approach and see it from a different perspective.  

Here are my three everyday activities to maintain my sense of adventure:

• I love to hike to new places in my home state, sometimes that can just mean taking a different trail to somewhere I have been prior.  
• Sometimes adventure is as simple as looking around a corner of a rock I have visited before – finding a new route variation.
• Climb with someone new at your local gym. You’d be amazed at how making this small change can add excitement to your entire day.

My mom taught me to try and never be bored and sedentary. She has lived in New Jersey her entire life but still seems to find new places to walk and exciting things to see. When I think I am bored and need to travel, I remember there is so much more in my state I still have to see and discover.  It also gets me excited for when I do get to see a far-off land I have never seen before.

My last tip – drink up every last drop of big adventures when they come around. During the filming of Uncharted Lines, I was fortunate enough to visit Zimbabwe on two occasions.  I can remember the visuals, the smells, the people, the animals as if it were yesterday. The beauty of it all was astounding.  The people were some of the nicest I have met in my entire life.  It is a simple country with a highly corrupt government and an unemployment rate that would make most people cringe.  However, the beauty shines through.  The smiles from the local people to the incredible mountainous terrain made for some of my most memorable experiences while there.  Yes, the climbing was amazing, but the everyday adventures while there were really what stood out to me and will be what I will never forget.