Adventure

Our days become pretty routine.  The time we get up, when we eat, our work, what we do in our spare time, the shows we watch on TV, the friends we have, and even the clothes we wear are pretty unchanging.  Some call this routine and some call it a rut.  It’s actually typical human behavior.  In general we resist change and don’t like to rock the boat.      

We are currently being segmented into groups whether you think you are or not.  That is also typical human behavior.  Our ancestors lived in groups or tribes.  People prefer to be around people they are like.  It’s built into our DNA.  There are many good things about that, one of which has aided the perpetuation of humankind.  Another is safety and security.      

In our modern world, there is less need to be a part of a small tribe.  We still have our small cluster of friends and family, but we are able to venture out of this close knit group and develop new relationships without much fear of the different or unknown.  This is also a very good thing.  This expands our experiences, knowledge, empathy, and discoveries.      

For most people however, there is still the underlying fear of change and difference.  Look at teens.  They want so very much to be just like all their friends.  They want to dress alike, have hair styles alike, eat alike, and generally do everything their friends are doing.  This happens out of a fear to be different and a fear to not be liked.  This persists beyond teen years but is much more subtle.      

Just a couple of generations ago, most people grew up and lived within a county or two of where they were born.  Only recently has this changed. Travel has become faster, safer, less costly, and more convenient than ever before.  Going to new places can not only be educational, but relaxing, and mind expanding.  It’s said, “The World is a Book and Those Who Do Not Travel Read Only One Page”.      

So, how does this relate to Weight loss and improved health?  A sense of Adventure is important for more things than traveling.  This same sense will present us with opportunities to change our eating habits.  It will allow us to venture out to take on new physical activity opportunities.  It will assist us in breaking out of our cocoon and meeting new people who may be living healthier lives than we are.      

This adventure attitude can direct you to find a new doctor who might take more interest in helping you lose weight and become more fit and healthy.  Changing doctors for many can be traumatizing, even if they are not getting the support and help they need.  We have a hard time breaking relationships that are not helpful to us.      

Being adventurous can allow growth in our mental and physical capacities.  This adventure spirit requires moving outside of our comfort zone.  This is the hard part.  We are comfortable with the routines and day to day lives we have.  Stepping out of that routine can be uncomfortable.  Think about the last time you went to a social event and there were a few people you knew and many you did not.  Did you hang out with the ones you knew or did you try to meet and get to know as many new people as you could.      

It’s typical to hang with the people we know.  That’s our comfort zone.  Next time, set a goal at a social event to meet one new person and to get out of your comfort zone, be the one that goes up and introduces yourself first.  Taking small steps like this can open our world to new opportunity and new possibility.  Set small goals.  Don’t try to meet every new person at an event as a first goal.      

Take a small trip to somewhere you’ve never been before.  It might just be an hour drive away.  Plan for a more adventurous trip in the future.  Each step we take out of our comfort zone, expands our comfort zone.  When a person regularly tests the limits of their comfort zone, their comfort zone can become very large.  Do you know someone who will take on any new challenge or task with seemingly no fear?      

That person has a large comfort zone.  The point is to constantly develop and improve upon ourselves.  When we improve one area of our life and conquer one fear, we are more able to conquer other problems and improve our lives in other areas.        

Getting fit and healthy is a high goal for most people.  To do this, we must leave our comfort zone and venture outside that zone to work on ourselves.  For many who carry excess body weight, our comfort zone shrinks.  As we lose confidence in ourselves and become more critical of ourselves, we tend to shrink our comfort zone.  We eat less food choices and types.  We go to fewer places.  We meet less people.  We try less new things.      

To break out of this routine or rut, we must face any fears and take one step at a time outside our comfort zone.  We must venture forth.  We must take on a spirit of adventure.  We must travel outside our constricted view of the world and read one more page.  Adventure and breaking out of our comfort zone can lead to improved health and fitness.  Improved health and fitness can lead to greater adventure.  We can start the cycle today.  Here’s to our next adventure.