Some of us need less stress and more calm in our lives and the summer is a great time to make inroads there. But some of us are in a rut and need a little more adventure to provide us with the zest and anticipation that makes life so much more interesting. These ideas are for you!
1. Go river rafting. Plan a trip to go white water rafting or kayaking. Trips can be guided or self-guided as your experience level requires. Expect thrills, a nature fix and to meet new people.
2. Take a language course. Sign up for a class at your local college or take them over the Internet with a friend. Instead of just learning the language, plan a trip to the country where your chosen language is spoken, even if you can't go this year. Planning the trip is half the fun. And make learning more about the country's geography, economics, and culture part of the experience. Expect to meet new people, a new skill and new attitudes.
3. Learn to barbeque or cook Thai or prepare gourmet. Take cooking lessons at your local upscale market, cookware store or even on the Internet. We all cook to some degree or another, but few of us take the time to master cooking. Expect new friends, new skills, increased pleasure in food and fun.
4. Go ice skating. Most big cities have ice rinks even in the summer. If you don't then try roller skating in a rink. Experience nostalgia and work your muscles at the same time. For an even better experience, introduce a child you know to skating. Expect sore muscles, a new skill and a sense of freedom.
5. Hike an entire trail over the summer. Most areas have hiking trails. You've heard of some of them such as the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail. But there are hundreds of shorter, less strenuous, but still challenging trails available even for the novice hiker. In Texas, for example, there is the Lone Star Hiking Trail, doable in a summer on weekends. The planning is part of the experience, learning about equipment, food, trail maps and finding hiking buddies. Expect new friends, better fitness, new skills and a nature fix.
6. Take dancing lessons, yes, you! Learning to dance can be a blast. Ballroom, salsa, tango, western swing, any kind will do. The music is great, you'll gain confidence and nothing is like dancing to free you up a bit. Expect new friends, dance skills, better fitness and fun.
7. Do art. Even if you are not an artist, or especially if you don't think of yourself as an artist, art can be a great way of shaking loose your inhibitions, pumping up your creativity and creating something fun/beautiful/quirky. There are a million ways to be creative including paints, papers, clay, metals, wire, yard, textiles and every variation therein. Take an art class, or just buy some supplies and go at it. The hardest part will be giving yourself permission to create and to not judge the results. The goal here is to enjoy the process and not worry too much about the product. Expect unleashed creativity, new skills and self-knowledge, and something to hang on the wall or put on a shelf!
8. Read something new. For those of us who are readers, we typically stick within two or three genres such as mystery, science fiction, Oprah's book club, non-fiction, westerns, etc. I double dare you to read something that is outside your chosen genres. It may take some time in the library or bookstore to find one that looks really interesting and is also outside of what you typically read. Give it as much time as you can to choose just the right book for you. You may discover a whole new genre to add. Expect to add a little sparkle to your reading, to be more thoughtful and to be challenged out of your reading rut. Expect new ideas, new challenges and new books.
9. Challenge yourself to meet one new person every week. Introduce yourself in the grocery store or the library. Start a conversation with the doctor's receptionist. Talk to your postal carrier, call someone you've met for coffee. Ask questions and practice your small talk. See if by the end of the summer you haven't added to each of your relationship circles (close friend, second tier friend, acquaintance). Expect new friends, better social skills, and some very interesting conversations.
10. Listen to new music on a regular basis. Just like with books, most of us have a few genres we listen to and pretty much ignore every thing else. Most of us know we like a few kinds of music and know we don't like a few others, but there are probably lots of kinds of music you've never experienced. World music includes lots of different types...African, Latin, Eastern European, Asian and lots more. What about hip-hop, folk music, Americana, symphonic, opera, acid rock, and more. Even within the genres you don't like, there may be artists or compositions you would love if you only listened. So this summer, really expand your listening to include all kinds of music. Set your car radio to different stations and do Internet searches (try "music genres") to listen to free music. Expect new music you love and lots of listening enjoyment.
And because there are lots of brilliant ways to have fun this summer and to add pizzazz to your life, here are a few more: take surfing lessons, learn to tap dance, learn tai-chi or yoga, take voice (singing) lessons, or piano or guitar lessons, go to drumming circles, learn to meditate, take a silent retreat, get a massage every week during the summer, jump out of a plane or take scuba lessons, learn to ride a horse, join a soccer or rugby team, just have a ball!
Labels: adventure, boredom, summer, transformation
