Adventure is all around you, every single day. No matter where you are or what you do on any given day, there is always an opportunity to create a little more adventure in your day.

The big adventures- the ones that require a day’s worth of driving or get your adrenaline running- those kind of adventures are great. However, if these big grand adventures aren’t always feasible to work into your hectic schedule, that’s okay! There are so many ways to add extra fun and adventure into your life, even when it feels like the chaos is taking over.

In even better news, once you take the pressure off of only chasing big, wild moments and start focusing on these small changes and little adventures, adventure will start flowing into your life effortlessly.

When 1 hour feels like enough time to feed your adventurous soul, suddenly every day has enough time for a new adventure. When you don’t have to sacrifice your other responsibilities or the scarce amount of time you have, adventures feel easy and stress-free.

Before you know it, you will find adventures everywhere and your life will be full of them and the big, grand adventures will begin to come more often too. 

Here are 5 easy ways to bring a little more adventure into your life. 

• Make a Bucket List

Bucket lists are pretty much just really fun to-do lists. They are to-do lists made up of the places you want to go, cool things you want to try, and the things that make you feel alive.

You can have a bucket list for just about anything- lifelong bucket lists, summer bucket lists, travel destinations, anything. 

Make a smaller scale bucket list for adventure days. Places you would like to see that could be a day trip, hikes you would like to do, things you want to try, and maybe even weekend or overnight trip ideas. Do a bit of research on each place or bucket list item you write down so you know exactly what you want to do there, the best time of year to go, how long the drive is, etc. 

This way, the next time you have a weekend, day, morning, afternoon, or even just a few hours free, just pull out the bucket list you made and pick something off of there.

If your free time is few and far between, you don't want to waste the little time you have trying to pick something to do and doing the research on it. Have a list ready so you can just pick something off of it and go! 

• Have a Packed Adventure Bag Ready to Go

With just a little bit of preparation beforehand, you can maximize the time you have to explore and make your life a little simpler. Have a packed adventure bag ready to go so that you can grab your bag and go when those few hours of available time come up. 

Personally, I have one backpack that I use for everything. School, hiking, climbing, sleepovers, and traveling (sometimes as a carry-on, sometimes as a suitcase). It is the definition of a multi-use backpack and I rely on it every single day. So always having it packed with stuff and waiting for one purpose and one purpose only would not work for me. 

What I do though, is have a mental checklist of what I need for a day of adventure to make packing quick and easy. The goal is though to be prepared for whatever you’re doing without wasting too much time or energy packing it up. Through trial and error, you will learn what you need for a successful and smooth adventure. 

In general, here is what you might want to have in your adventure bag:

• Plenty of snacks, maybe a lunch too
• Water in a reusable water bottle
• All IDs, park passes, health insurance cards, credit cards, whatever you need.
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Clothes and extra clothes that make sense for the weather.

Other things to consider bringing:

• A portable charger (I highly recommend a solar-powered one!)
• Your camera

If it is conducive to your life and the stuff you have, keep your adventure bag packed and ready to go. You will save yourself so much time to explore. If it works better to make a checklist and just pack as quickly as you can, then do that.

 

• Have Your Mellow Time Outside

Odds are, you spend a great deal of time scrolling on social media, watching TV, or any other objectively time-sucking activities. That’s completely fine, don’t worry about changing that, just do it outside instead.

Instead of laying in bed and scrolling on your phone, do it on a blanket in the grass- in the sun, or in the shade- whatever you prefer.

If you spend time painting, coloring, crocheting, or any hobby like that, consider doing it outside once in a while. Sit beside a creek, at the beach, or in the trunk of your car with a pretty view. 

You will be blown away by how much more time you are spending outside with no effort at all. You probably won’t even realize it, but over time you will create so many happy little memories by just making one small change.

• Do Your Work/Homework Somewhere New

Similar to the last one, but if you just switch up where you do your work, you can add more adventure to your life and find happiness in a normally mundane thing.

Whether it’s homework from school, working from home, or anything in between, try doing your work somewhere other than your usual spot.

If the weather allows it, get outside! Work at a picnic table by a trailhead, on a blanket in the grass, at the beach, on a rock by the water, or somewhere in the mountains surrounded by trees and breathtaking views. Find a cute cafe with tables outside or drive somewhere pretty, park, and work from the back of your car with the trunk wide open. 

Coffee shops, libraries, parks, a couch beside a window, a patio- it doesn’t have to be anything wild. Just like how sometimes the best memories come from the most unexpected or simplest moments, small changes can have huge positive impacts on your life. 

Your well-being comes first and this includes working on your education and working to support yourself. Work must get done, but this life is for living. Even in the busiest, most chaotic phases and moments, find ways to keep living and squeeze every bit of happiness and adventure out of this life. 

• Take the Long Way Home

Driving to and from work and your other responsibilities might be something non-negotiable that you have to do. However, it’s also something with a lot of room to make it fun. 

When time allows it, take the long way home. Maybe it's the back roads with less traffic that make the drive less stressful, the road with a better view, or just more time in the car to listen to music and just slow down for a moment. 

Maybe your work is on the way to a hiking trail you’ve been eyeing. Pick a day, and just do that hike after work. You probably pass quite a few restaurants and things to do on your way home. Ask a coworker you don’t know super well yet, or call a friend and ask them to meet you there. If it’s on your way anyway, why not add a little fun while still keeping things simple?

This world is for exploring. Get out there and see it and create that life you have always dreamed about. 

 

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Written by @peaceofliv