A View on Adventure

Words by Lifestyle Staff

Adventure is meant to be an experience with long-lasting impacts on someone's life, but it can look different for everyone. For example, going on a long hike to a waterfall, trying out a new hobby, dining at a new restaurant, or taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip. This month, we challenged ourselves to find adventure, whether in the everyday or while on a trip. We aimed to get out of our comfort zone and do something we normally wouldn’t do. We hope you find adventure in your daily life, too!

ACTIVITY: OUT IN NATURE

RYLIE'S EXPERIENCE:

Yosemite is one of the most sought out national parks, and it’s right in our backyard! With something always going on during the weekends, it’s hard to get out in nature and enjoy the beauty around us. Being able to hike in Yosemite was nothing short of breathtaking, and it gave me the opportunity to appreciate God’s beautiful creation he so masterfully displayed for all of us to enjoy!

ED'S EXPERIENCE:

Painting a street mural takes a lot of hands and minds. It was a great visual representation of how the work of many comes together to create a beautiful symbol of community pride. The finished product was impressively large: almost the size of a football field. And it was inspiring to see hundreds of people doing their small part to bring it all together.

Photo from @westfresnocan

ACTIVITY: DAY TRIPPING

ASHLEIGH'S EXPERIENCE:

A day trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium was the perfect adventure to take with our 8-month old! She was so excited to see all of the fish, and the jellyfish exhibit wasby far her favorite. Afterwards, we drove to Carmel for some lunch and window shopping. And no road trip to the bay is complete without a stop at Casa de Fruta. It was a quick trip, but we made some of the best memories that day.

ACTIVITY: UNDERWATER EXPLORER

ERIC'S EXPERIENCE:

I’ve been snorkeling only once, as a teenager. What I loved most about this adventure in Hawaii was taking the time to slow down and look at the beauty around me; it was the most impactful part of this adventure. There is something incredibly peaceful about the pace of the underwater world, particularly sea turtles. They are in no hurry to get anywhere or do anything. It was a helpful reminder for my overly busy life.

ACTIVITY: FINDING THE GOOD

MONICA'S EXPERIENCE:

Having a personality trait that naturally aims to find things that need improvement or resolution often leads me to focus on the negative. Choosing to document three things each day that I was grateful for helped me shift my focus to the simple things I often take for granted. It’s become more natural for me to take the time to enjoy the beautiful life that surrounds me.

ACTIVITY: THE GOLDEN HOUR

LILI'S EXPERIENCE:

While I see sunsets every day, I never chase them or slow down to take it in. They are just moments that happen and pass me by. Going out to Millerton Lake and being intentional about chasing a sunset made for a really amazing moment. It served as a reminder to take time to enjoy my surroundings—the little things.

ACTIVITY: GO CHASING WATERFALLS

JJ'S EXPERIENCE:

Seeing cascading waterfalls is one of my favorite attractions. With the record-breaking amount of rain and snow we had this year, I hardly recognized Nobe Young Creek Falls. It’s usually shimmering majestically in the sunlight but was now blasting over the mountainside in a mad torrent. The mist and sound of the water crashing against the rocks could be felt and heard from over fifty feet back. Seeing this breathtaking waterfall in a different state than usual was a welcomed adventure and well worth the drive.

ACTIVITY: ABOVE THE CLOUDS

MARK'S EXPERIENCE

I like to play out the worst-case scenario in my head before trying something new to rationalize not wanting to do it. This was my first time visiting Mexico City and going up in a hot air balloon, and although I felt a bit nervous going up, I realized how peaceful of an experience it actually was. Once I noticed the 20+ other balloons in the sky, and the fact that balloon navigators are doing this every day, my irrational fear of something going wrong quickly disappeared.