Adventure is All-Inclusive

As stated in my previous post, 5 Elements of an Outdoor Adventure Community:

“To build a community of adventure, we need people that are caring, passionate, and hard working. People that help those that are struggling and care about the people around them.”

So, you may be asking yourself, do I fit the criteria? Without too much thought, your answer should simply be, “Heck yeah!”

Some characteristics of a person ripe for building an adventure community are as follows:

• Adventurous – Kind of goes without saying… an adventurous person is “willing to take risks or to try out new methods, ideas, or experiences.” They are willing to embrace the new and unknown.

• Risk-Taker – An adventurous person is willing to accept the risks associated with their craft. They assess the risk of each action and take steps to mitigate these risks. They believe adventure happens when they leave the comforts of home not necessarily knowing what the day has in store but the thought of not knowing is what gets them out there and pries and pulls at them when they are stuck inside.

• Gritty – Adventurous people are tough! They enjoy putting themselves in uncomfortable situations just to understand how they will react when they push the limits of their mind and body.

• Passionate – They spend every free moment pursuing their craft. When they are not in the outdoors, they are thinking about the outdoors. Often talking to friends and coworkers about their past adventure or spending time alone pondering their next excursion!

• Caring – A person ideal for building a community of adventure is a caring person. They care not only for their friends and family but also care about strangers they meet and those in need. They care about the environment in which they live knowing that they need to leave it better than they found it. Caring people enjoy giving back to the community whenever possible and love sharing and teaching people about their passions.

Above is a short list of a few of the typical character traits of an adventurous person. Don’t be discouraged if you feel like you can only relate to one or two of the items. I am confident that the spirit of adventure lives inside of every one of us! Deep at the core of our being, we know that there is more to this life than big houses, fancy possessions, and indoor, sedentary jobs. We have evolved over time and have grown accustomed to the everyday luxuries we enjoy as modern humans, but it was not all that long ago our ancestors spent their nights telling stories around the glow of a campfire and sleeping under stars.

We are meant for more than what modern, every day, life gives us. We are meant for a life of adventure! Now I am not saying we should sell everything we own, go stake a claim on the side of a mountain, and live off the land but we should seek something more than our normal Monday-Friday routines – Go to work, come home, watch TV, go to bed, repeat.

The spirit of adventure is open to every one of us. We are not divided by gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation, or our political views. It is something that we all share and something that should be celebrated together. Adventure may have a different meaning to all of us, but no matter how you define it, the adventure is yours! Embrace it, share it, and achieve it!