Blizzards, Challenges, and Finding Adventure when You Think You Can't

Posted by Mary Beth Dahl on January 28, 2016

Warriors do not shy away from adventure.

At least that’s what I’m starting to believe, and that’s one of the reasons I ventured out into a blizzard last week.

Since I made Warrior my word for the year, I’ve been trying to think differently and try new things. That’s not so easy. I like my comfortable, predictable world.

There are plenty of reasons not to do new things or to try hard things, but as far as I can tell, there are two major objections I rely on each time an idea to do something new crosses my path.

I’m too old.
I won’t succeed.

The funny thing about the first one is I’ve heard people in their 20’s say the same thing. It’s all kind of relative. Maybe it gets more plausible the older you get, but it should never be a reason to not even try. You just might have to be a little more creative with how you work it out. Plus, I’m pretty sure being eternally minded doesn’t just apply to what happens after we die. It should really influence how we live. Eternally minded people do not sit idly by flipping channels and staring out the window. They do things.

I have a friend who started taking cello lessons for the first time in her 70s. That’s a warrior—someone who presses on to new heights.

Learning and change should continue in our lives– always. We should forever be experiencing new things. That’s a part of us becoming who we’re meant to be—who we can be.

The next objection is actually much harder for me to combat.

It falls more toward my “Why bother?” attitude that likes to hang around with the laid back part of me that doesn’t let dirty dishes, no schedule, and a lack of motivation get to her. Why should I try if I’m not going to succeed? Why bother?

One might ask the question, how do you know you won’t succeed, but come on folks. I know I spend a lot of time in the clouds, but I can be realistic. I’m not going to become fluent in Italian any time soon, and I don’t currently have a lot of time to put toward learning it, what with all of my channel flipping and window staring. So why bother? Cut my losses, and focus on things I can do. (Binge on Netflix and scroll my FB feed.)

The truth is I will succeed at something. It just might not be what I’m wanting. If I stay on my safe, no-adventure road, then I will most likely succeed at wasting a perfectly wonderful life. I don’t particularly want to do that.

And that’s why I bundled up, grabbed my partner in adventure, and headed out into 30 mile per hour winds and tons of snow. That three miles was exhausting, but it’s also become something I won’t soon forget.