My Personal Adventure Challenge

Adventure - An exciting or very unusual experience; Participation in exciting undertakings; A bold, usually risky undertaking; an undertaking of uncertain outcome.

So, here goes. Let me begin by saying that I accidentally deleted a very lengthy post that took quite a bit of time. Starting over is hard to do, pardon the lyrics. It reminds me that starting over, starting a new chapter, is at the heart of this blog post.

I will also add that, as a coach, I challenge women to 'get out there' and practice showing up in whatever area they want to expand. It is simple, and yet it is rarely easy. We feel comfortable and safe as things are (or so we believe), until we arrive at a place where we simply must risk the unknown, the scary, the stretch; or we catch a delicious glimpse of what could be and we are hungry.

For me, both are true right now. Feeling particularly exhausted this past Saturday afternoon, my husband suggested that I go for a bike ride. I started to make some excuse, and then, within moments, said "yes!" and ran downstairs to dust off my bike, shoes and helmet. It has been two years perhaps since I've been on that bike. I was out the door in a heartbeat, without a clue as to where I was headed, and found myself delighted as I rode through Back Bay, along the Charles River, over the bridge, and back into the charming city we call home. Ooooh. It was exactly what I needed. Fresh air, freedom, adventure, feeling alive.

And so last night, energized after the Red Sox game, but longingly wishing that we had gone without Amelia (I watched one inning of the game), I lay in bed restless. Ideas and desires were racing through my mind. I decided to get up, go downstairs and write them all down. Once they were out of my head, I would be able to rest. And it worked (eventually).

When I woke up this morning, I had a long list of what has now become My 4 month Personal Adventure Challenge. I am sharing it with you as a way to hold myself accountable to following through on it. Each of these challenges is meaningful to me in some way. Let's just say that baking an apple pie from scratch completely intimidates me. I am not one for precision, and so my baking ? often go array. And yet I secretly wonder, "can I do that??" every time I see someone else's apple pie creation.

Its the culmination of these challenges that I believe will propel me in the direction that I intend to go. I chose those that will energize me, delight me, or connect me to sources of nourishment. While some are more playful than others, most seem like a (gulp) big challenge. Taking time for myself in and of itself is a challenge these days with a 9 month old and a relatively new business. And I pulled a muscle just getting onto the soccer field this summer, which was the end of any running attempts.

So, here goes.... (drum roll please...) Remember, the challenge is doing all of this within 4 months, starting now!!!

1. Climb to the top of a local mountain/large 'hill'
2. Travel to Germany.
3. Run a road race.
4. Log 20 hours of hot power yoga.
5. Bake an applie pie from scratch.
6. Row the Charles River.
7. Host a coctail/holiday party.
8. Reunite with a long-lost friend.
9. Attend 3 stimulating events, like book-readings, speaking engagements, etc.
10. Visit 3 museums that will enlighten or entertain me.
11. Make a home-made, meaningful gift for someone special, who will least expect it.
12. Make a bold change to my physical appearance.
13. Cook 25 new, delicious & nourishing recipes (the apple pie counts as one!).
14. Do something to help the local homeless people that I see daily.
15. Get a custom jean fitting in Philadelphia (Charlie's, I believe).
16. Go to a swanky NYC restaurant for coctails.
17. Find a way to help support my presidential candidate's campaign.
18. Surprise Joe. (Shhhh... he's reading this)
19. Plan 5 pampering, indulgent, wonderful experiences for myself.
20. Organize a gourmet picnic.

And here I go...