Is my life adventurous?

~ Chocolaterunsjudy
adventurous

I don’t consider myself to be a very adventurous person, which is our  Wednesday Word for this week.

But let’s look at the definition of adventurous:

Inclined or willing to engage in adventures; enjoying adventures

I’m a planner. I love to know what half I’m going to do next months in advance.

And yet I’ve been known, on occasion, if the stars aligned and I’m not injured, to sign up for a race at the last moment. And let’s face it, deciding to try to run a half marathon when the furthest you’ve run is a 5k? Some might consider that adventurous (we won’t mention that I trained almost a year for that first 5k).

Or the fact that one day, who knows why, I decided to try this running thing, even though I’d never run a mile in my life.

And then I decided I wanted to run a half in every state, which is definitely adventurous!

But let’s go even further back. To the day a realtor called and offered us movie tickets if we’d see 3 houses with her — which is exactly how I found my home for the next 15 years.

And not too long before we found that home, I decided to start my own business. In graphic design. I didn’t go to school for business or graphic design (I went for printing management, which was actually a calculated move on my part to get into graphic design). I had never worked in graphic design, although I had worked in printing.

Our attitude was that at least we’d have a really nice computer. I can’t say I was wildly successful as a designer, but I was in business for 13 years.

And how about hooking up with a little known (still little known, but still here) startup called About.com as their graphic design guide?

I may plan what I’m doing or where I’m going over a weekend, but I’m also willing to be spontaneous if the weather is nice or something fun catches my eye. And sometimes the fondest memories from a vacation are the stuff you do that wasn’t planned.

Okay, I guess I can say I’m adventurous, at least a little. Let’s look at the second definition:

Full of risk; requiring courage; hazardous

Nope, that is so not me. Riding a bike? No thank you, too easy to crash. Ditto with a motorcycle. Although I have been up in a hot air balloon and a glider.

Trying new classes, new groups, new sports? Obviously I have tried new things, but it can take me a while to talk myself into it. Running groups are hard — people rarely run my speed, and even though they say all paces are welcome, who wants to be stuck by themselves far behind the pack?

I did once take rowing classes. It looked like so much fun to be out rowing on the river. Except I found the boats to be so tippy it made me nervous; I don’t really know why, since I’m a strong swimmer. I stuck it out through about half the class, even the solo row where I veered nearly into the bank, but they were able to talk me through how to get out of there. And then I quit. I don’t usually quit, but it just wasn’t for me.

I keep saying I want to try SUP & kayaking. LL Bean has kayaking. I’ve been on a few vacations where trying SUP was an option, and yet I’ve still never stood on a paddleboard.

So, to sum it up, I can be adventurous but what I’m not is an adrenaline junkie. I’m willing to try new stuff, but I don’t like to try things that involve danger — no skydiving for me (ditto parasailing, motorcycles, and even zip lining).

 

 

Deb Runs

Do you consider yourself adventurous?

24 thoughts on “Is my life adventurous?”

  1. I’m a total planner, down to every last detail-however when something doesn’t go as planned I just go with the flow. You should totally try SUP, it’s so much fun-just be ready to fall in!!

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  6. You should try the SUP! But I have had a much better experience doing it on a calm river than in windy Puerto Rico, where I had to sit down on the thing and cuss a lot to fight the current back to shore. 🙂

    Your post inspired me to check out About.com and an article on riding my bike to work — an adventure that I am aiming for this spring/summer!

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  7. As you know I am very spontaneous. I don’t think about things. i just do. But once I decide, I plan every detail which is why I decide on things in advance. My hubby is very last minute and it drives me nuts.

    I am adventurous but do not like danger like jumping out of a plane which people tell me is awesome. I do want to parasail.

    I did update my post because you reminded me that leaving a husband and career after 20 years and starting a new life (in my 40s) was pretty adventurous. Obviously it worked out.

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  9. I think for your age (I’m the same age so I can say this) that you are very adventurous. Most people our age don’t run and certainly don’t run half marathons. So yes, you may have a little cautiousness, but again I call that age. If you ever come to Wilmington, NC, I will take you kayaking….I love it!

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    1. I’ve never been to NC — always wanted to! Haven’t yet decided what half I want to do there. Right now, for the most part, we’re still concentrating on the states closer to home. A few more are within driving distance . . .

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  11. I like a healthy dose of adrenaline, but also think it’s often confused with being adventurous. To me, adventure is just something new and different. I plan a lot less than I did when I was younger. I used to over plan things and if they didn’t work out as planned, it caused huge disappointment. I would like to SUP. I just haven’t had the opportunity. If I’m at the lake, I want to ski! Maybe on vacation?

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  12. Very cool you started your own little company 🙂 I always think that type of thing adventurous.
    I guess I am a little of adrenaline junkie, I like roller-coasters, the more loops the better, but that is controlled. I am still trying to get my nerve to jump out of plane lol
    I don’t mind riding my bike, but I am not a heavy traffic rider, too much risk, but I do not like motorcycles – way too much speed.
    We all have our limits 🙂

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  13. It is definitely adventurous to make a goal to run a half in every state! I think running half marathons in general can be considered adventurous. It’s all about your perspective. To someone who has run them before, maybe it doesn’t seem so, but it certainly does to someone who has never run before or who maybe has only run 5K’s or 10K’s. And lastly, I do not think things have to be spontaneous. Sometimes those are the most exciting things you remember from a vacation, like you said. But I’m Type A and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with planning your adventures!

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