Are You Ready to Answer the Call of Adventure?

There are countless people out there in the world who claim they want adventure. They are tired of their boring repetitive lives, especially after COVID, yet many still don’t answer the call of adventure and stay stuck at home complaining. Simply put, they won’t answer the call of adventure. Why is that? We humans are funny creatures. We tend to want things, sometimes, that we never work towards. We regularly find ourselves hitting a blockage and stop pursuing our dreams.

There are many reasons why this can happen, but one of the largest obstacles I’ve seen keep someone from traveling, specifically, is a fear of the unknown. Basically, as human beings, we are wired to keep ourselves as safe and comfortable as possible. Anything ‘new’ is ‘unknown’ to us and therefore, immediately causes us to pause, as it puts us out of our comfort zones. This is a natural survival instinct we’ve held onto through our evolution. The more comfortable we are, the more we feel safe. The more we step outside of our comfort zones, the more our bodies get uneasy, the more we second guess our decisions, the more we panic. Getting uncomfortable is a natural reaction our body has to these situations as, long ago, we could very well have been in danger, as a species, if we stepped out of the safety our homes.

Today’s world is modeled for comfort. Everything about our society is set up to make us feel as safe as possible so we never really have to step out of our comfort zones or embrace the unknown if we don’t want to. For instance, our GPSs are always with us so we can find where we’re going with ease. You can basically make no mistakes finding places while you have a smart phone. Stores are on every corner so we can easily stock up and get home, and services like Amazon have it so we can get everything we need delivered without even having to step outside. We could live our lives from the comfort of our own homes without ever having to step outside if we really wanted to. But does that really sound like a fulfilling life?

One of the greatest benefits of travel is that it puts you outside of your comfort zone. When you go somewhere new, you are embracing the unknown, something that goes against our programming, yet it can be the most liberating feeling when we finally get outside of our regular comforts and into new territory. Only then can you really find yourself challenging your mind, going on a real adventure, and liberating yourself from the chains of your own comfort.

As someone who has suffered from anxiety, I can tell you firsthand that the unknown can be the most frightening obstacle to face, but once you embrace it and answer the call of adventure, your life can change for the better, forever. There are ways you can slowly submerge yourself into the world of adventure, as well. You can start small with luxury travel and slowly begin making your travel more and more adventurous as you get comfortable, one baby step at a time.

How to Get More Comfortable with Travel

I find that if you’re itching to get out and see the world yet you are anxious about taking the first steps, the best thing you can do for yourself it to try and get out of your comfort zone one small baby step at a time. First, try to start at a pre-planned, all-inclusive resort trip so your comforts and needs are met the whole trip. Right away, that can help you feel safer and more taken care of. Then, try scheduling one outside excursion into the area you’re staying in. You may just find that you love stepping outside of the resort to see the life and environment of the world around you. Keep doing this until you feel comfortable planning you own trip.

By planning your own trip, you will likely find comfort in the fact that you had the control in organizing it. You will know where you need to be when, so that way, you are more informed and, therefore, more comfortable about the trip.

Finally, you may fall in love with the unknown and the call of adventure. What then? Well, answer the call and try volunteering on scientific expeditions or going with adventure travel groups on hikes or events across the globe. I find that sometimes a love of adventure comes like a pitfall. You have that one amazing experience and then you just need more and more. But on the other hand, if you find that you don’t like it, that’s great, too! You can have lovely trips at the all-inclusive resorts and get a relaxing vacation out of your trips, which is also just as valid. But if you like adventure, and you answer the call and want more, I encourage you to try different types of travel one small baby step at a time.