Welcome to this month's edition of Adventurous Life!
In this issue:
I welcome your thoughts, feedback & suggestions for stories.
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Pass this newsletter along to a friend!
A couple weeks ago, listening to a friend describe her weekend, I had a moment of self-recognition. This friend had originally been scheduled to attend the third in a series of seminars leading to certification in an area she'd long been working on pursuing. When an April ice storm made travel difficult, she was faced with a choice: put herself through the stress of a long, treacherous drive so she could stay on track with her studies (the next series didn't start for another year)...or not.
Having spent a good portion of her life pushing herself to accomplish whatever it was she had set out to do, her habit was to go anyway, despite the icy roads and poor visibility. But not long before, she had made a promise to herself that she would stop placing her body in stressful situations. What to do?
True to her promise, she stayed home. Before her, there opened up a magical expanse of unplanned time. And she luxuriated in it. She sorted through a closet full of old photographs, and watched movies she'd been meaning to see. She went to the opening exhibit of an artist friend. And she had time to step in and help with her son's wedding plans, just when they needed her most.
It made me wonder -- when was the last time I had unconstructed time? Delicious days free of obligation, open to connections with friends and family, rather than being filled with the relentless demands I place upon myself?
This month, leave a day free for yourself, open to whatever comes along to tug at the coat sleeve of your interest. No plans, no obligations, no "to do" lists. Just a day in which you do nothing unless it delights you.
Adventurous Life Highlight: The Truth About Adventure
What do you think of when you think adventure? Lanky, well-muscled athletes with a sheen of sweat (not too much, of course) in khaki and hiking boots scaling mountains you'd get dizzy just looking at? Bronzed explorers swinging on vines and wrestling with alligators?
Sitting across from Professor Danielle DeMuth in her book-lined office, a computer screen bleeping that it holds messages for her when she has a moment, the last word one might think of is "adventurous." Yet DeMuth has discovered the secret truth about adventure...
Read the complete article on my web site.
Travel
Corner: Quick Tips for Excelling
at Currency Exchange
This article is the first in a three-part Travel 101 series entitled "Tricks to Understanding (and Enjoying!) the Money Side of Travel."
It can be intimidating to suddenly have to operate within a whole new economy and system of money. But never fear! Here are a few simple tricks to ease the transition...
Read the complete article on my web site.
"In three words
I can sum up everything
I've learned about life:
It goes on."
- Robert Frost
Top 5 Ideas to Inspire You This Month
- Put a bird feeder outside your window and keep a list of your feathered visitors (give them names!)
- Pick up a copy of Celebrate Your Creative Self by Mary Todd Beam and have a painting party
- Borrow a tent and sleep out in your back yard under the stars
- Start a window garden and watch it grow
- Plan a weekend on water -- whether it's canoeing on a placid lake, rafting a big river, sea kayaking along the coast, or taking a ferry to an island you've always wanted to visit
"River travel, I've decided, is one percent beauty and 99 percent practicality.
The need to eat, sleep, and dry out plays havoc with your sense of wonder."
-
Michael Palin
in 'Full Circle'
About the author:
Judy Wolf is a world traveler, freelance writer, speaker, and whitewater kayak instructor. She's taken numerous, extended solo journeys around the world, traveling by foot, bus, jeep, camel, truck, boat, train, plane, elephant, and bicycle to over 30 countries on five continents. She currently lives in upstate New York with her husband and border collie, where she's working on a book-length travel narrative about her most recent adventures…that is, when she's not plunging off waterfalls or entertaining the dog.
Learn more at www.judywolf.com.
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Copyright © 2003 Judy Wolf
