New Adventures

I like to be in control. Not of everything, mind you; that’s way too much work. I just want to only be able to blame myself should something fall through. I like to feel that I have a safety net. Which is a reason I don’t often try new things. I will every now and then, just to stir things up, but I don’t make a lifestyle out of it.

I hear of people who backpack across Europe, staying in hostels, thinking, I would LOVE to do that! The adventure sounds incredibly thrilling. I would love to be one of those people who could pack up their car, or hop a bus and just drive to a place they had never been, and transition comfortably to the new environment.
Many of my friends, on more than one occasion jet off to Europe, Canada, even just unexplored states several times on business.

The thing about it is, even if I were to adventure off to one of those places, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it until I got home. The whole time I would be grumbling about the uncertainty of it, the this-isn’t- how-we-do-it- at-home-ness about it.

Since new things stress me out, I try to minimize them. My primitive stress response doesn’t always behave very well under novel conditions. Knowing this about myself allows me to be on guard. It doesn’t always work, though. But at least I’m aware of it.

Not that it isn’t a good thing to sometimes “stretch” yourself, getting out of your comfort zone. It is always good to try new things, but if you are prone to stress, realize that you may be in fight/flight mode the whole time, diminishing any enjoyment.

However, it should be noted, when a new adventure is successful, the thrill of conquering a new mountain is immeasurable.

My dreamy boyfriend and I met a lovely English/Jamaican lady last night. She relocated to several new environments seemingly effortlessly. Since my boyfriend lived in England for a while, they had plenty of stories to share.

I’m the person who has to take the same routes to work, church, etc. Thus sparing even a local adventure. Which I’ll admit, I don’t really want. Adventures are preferable in controlled, contained environments. I’ll take the “safe” adventure, thank you. Then I’ll brag about how “devil may care” I am.

c. 2011

Change

What happens when change is wrong? When you have no say in the matter? Unfortunately this is all too common in life. There might not be anything you can do to prevent the change. But as with anything, you can change how you react to it.

Control the adrenaline surge that will cause you to react badly by breathing deeply and/or laughing.

Try to get as much information that you can before you react. It may not be as bad as you think. Keep an open mind.

Don’t let anger paralyze you.

And my favorite, use unwanted change as a means of revenge. I can hardly hide my tremendous satisfaction in proving people who don’t budge wrong. [Keeping in mind, though, that often the reverse might happen ;)]

image credit: backinskinnyjeans.com
c. 2011

Are YOU the major stressor in your life?

Imagine my sheepishness when I realized that I was exacerbating my stress, by egging it on as a means to “scare myself into doing well.” I felt less than proactive, if I wasn’t really stressing about a task.

It was a major discovery for me when I realized that it was my own reactions to stress that were stressing me out the most!

Imagine how much more successful I would be if I were to channel even half of that nervous energy into better preparation!

Have you ever noticed how much more smoothly things go when you are relaxed and enjoying what you are doing? What might start out as a thorn in your side, or an act of tedium, can easily transform into a rewarding, even enjoyable task when you are not fighting it every step of the way.

You won’t be open if you are stuffing bad feelings, or living in denial. So recognize those feelings, but physically open yourself up to the moment. Relax your shoulders and don’t cross your arms. These are defensive postures. If you are rigid and tense, you will be acting that way, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

c. 2011
image credit: opencage.info