Life is an Adventure!
Before sharing the details of my "life is an adventure" reflection, I want to acknowledge that in some ways I was born with this philosophy. From early childhood I can remember thinking that life was a magical, mystical adventure. And in my life, I have also had my share of doubts, fear, pain, despair, and even wishing I could just die. Yes, the pain in my life has been so deep that there have been times I wanted to cash in my chips and go home. "I am done. I can't find a way out of this pain. Take me home!"
But every time I have reached that depth of pain, there has been something inside of me that keeps driving me from within to remember the magic. It reminds me that living life is a gift and to find the adventure in everything. Every time I have climbed out of the deep hole and I have said YES to Life, there is more joy, more expansion and the return of the magic of life.
When faced with:
An illness, I ask myself, "What can I learn?"
An eviction process. "What is my soul calling me to do or to be?"
A trip to Denver. "How can I expand and share myself in my full essence and see the essence of everyone I meet?"
Asking the questions, opens my mind, my heart, my experience to reach into deeper places within me.
I was reminded of this idea, "Life is an Adventure," in two conversations recently. I was talking with someone who travels a lot. We were talking about getting to the airport early. And I shared that I like getting here early because it gives me more time for the adventure. When I have extra time, I am more relaxed and in the moment with what is happening. A delay in the baggage screening gives me more time to look around and see people. Waiting in line is a way to have a conversation or look into the eyes of another person and smile, instead of just pushing forward. Or I get a cup of coffee. Look out the windows to see the land outside of the airport. I watch the crews that are loading the airplanes with suitcases. I listen and engage in conversations. I have time to reflect, read a magazine, or close my eyes, feel the love in my heart and radiate that into the airport. I live life in the moment.
In the conversation, I shared how flying is another adventure. Her response, "I fly too much for it to be an adventure." And she rushed off to her next appointment, I was feeling sad for her. How sad that flying is no longer an adventure. If there had been more time I would have shared with her that everything is an adventure to me. "Enjoy the adventure" is an attitude.
If we had more time, I would have shared how several times a week I walk a mile to Trader Joe's and it is always an adventure. Who will I meet along the walk? What is blooming in the gardens? What does the sky look like today? When I enter Trader Joe's I head to the back corner for a sample cup of coffee and a sample of food. I wonder, what will the sample be today? I have my grocery list in my hand, but I always take a few minutes to look at the food that is highlighted in different areas of the store. Is there a new food that is calling to me? A bread, a fruit, or something exotic?
On the way home I continue to open my eyes and see what words pop out from a sign, a bus passing me. I feel the gratitude of the walk, the bags filled with food and the opportunity to walk to the store. I stop for a few minutes and I breathe in the beauty of the mountains, the trees, the sun. I look at everything with childlike wonder and fresh eyes.
It is so great to be alive!
This week, James Twyman sent a video called The Three Secrets of Being the Change.
Secret #1 is Just Say, YES!
If you want to Be The Change, just say, "YES!" If you want to shift things in your life, listen to your heart and say YES!
ENJOY the ADVENTURE!
Andrea Hylen is a Life Energy Coach specializing in Grief Transformation, founder of Heal My Voice, a Minister of Spiritual Peacemaking and co-author of Conscious Choices: An Evolutionary Woman's Guide to Life. Her next book: Open to Inspiration: The summer a woman discovered herself with a teenage daughter and the Jonas Brothers on a 10,000 mile road trip will be published in 2012. Her greatest desire is to inspire people to live a deeper, richer life as leaders of their own lives and to connect with people for deeper conversations.
