When we hear “adventure” we usually think of crossing oceans or continents. But what about finding some excitement closer to home? When you’ve been in one place for a long time, it’s easy to forget how great that place can actually be. There’s joy to be found in being content with where you are, even if you’ve been there your whole life! Here are 8 ways to find adventure at home, wherever your home may be…
1. Volunteer for a great cause
If you know where to look, you can actually find a lot of worthy local causes looking for a free hand. Food banks, shelters, community centres or even farms and gardens can be a fantastic way to break free from the mundane as well as meet some new great people.
2. Join a club
Whether it be books, hiking, home business, or board games, you’re bound to find a group with similar interests to yours in your area. You’ll never know who you’ll meet, or what you’ll discover. At the least, you’ll be doing something you enjoy even if you don’t enjoy the company!
3. Check out tourist hot-spots
Just because you live somewhere, doesn’t mean you can’t pretend you’re seeing everything for the first time. Go to your local tourist information booth and see what they recommend you check out. You will likely find several places you didn’t know existed, or rekindle your childhood love for the zoo (it’s all about the lions, right?).
4. Visit the park
Doesn’t sound very exciting, I know, but hear me out. As kids we made the most of empty spaces, so why not as adults as well? Bring a picnic, something to throw, and some friends — maybe a dog or two — and enjoy the simplicity of a good old outdoor excursion. If everybody’s busy, then just go by yourself and do some micro-habitat exploration, or bring a good book and your imagination and just let yourself relax.
5. Try a new hobby
Maybe your friend invited you check out her Pilates class, or you’ve been curious about vintage car models. It never hurts to try something new — so stop procrastinating and sign up!
6. Redesign your room
It can be as simple as moving your furniture around or as grand as a new colour on the walls, but nothing makes you feel more accomplished than rearranging your living space. You never know, you might find something that you thought you’d lost forever. Even just cleaning up can be enlightening as you rediscover space you forgot you had, or finally decide to get rid of something that irritates you every time you look at it.
7. Discover cool local events
Of course summer is the best time for this, but there’s always something going on at any given time of the year. Live music, food festivals and run-for-a-cause are just some examples. If you’ve never attended before, all the more reason to go. Check out the community notice board or get online and find out what’s happening!
8. Go for a sweet drive
If you’ve got a day to spare and a car in reasonable driving condition, just spend some time being aimless. Take a few wrong turns and discover a cafe you never knew existed. If you don’t have a vehicle, the same principle applies to cyclists and pedestrians, though your exploration radius will be considerably smaller!
Originally published in Issue 19 of Converge Magazine.
Photo (Flickr CC) by Adam Lerner.
