adventure (noun) :: [ad-ven-cher] :: an exciting or very unusual experience

Knowing my ever-present desire to travel, a friend recently made a comment about how he couldn’t believe I was still in the area.

It’s true — when I was younger, I didn’t think I’d stay in the area I grew up in for very long. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that adventuring often has more to do with my attitude than my physical location, and I’ve come to greatly appreciate the place that I live.

Want to go to the beach? Easy day trip.

The mountains? Drive as little as an hour to see gorgeous views.

A day in the city? Just a quick train ride away (and you can pick between Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington D.C., depending on how much time you have to kill).

Not to mention, you can go virtually anywhere in the world from the Philadelphia airport.

Yes, I might even say I love where I live. There is so much to do, if you take a few minutes to look. I’m always looking for a new adventure, but I don’t have to search for very long.

That’s the great thing about adventures — they don’t have to be “grand” (although I am in the process of planning my next grand adventure!). They just need to be outside of your ordinary.

For me, getting my nose pierced was an adventure.

Starting a new venture with a friend in a coffee shop can be an adventure!

I’ve come to realize that “adventures” have more to do with your attitude than the actual activity you are doing. You and I can both being participating in the same event or activity, but come out with completely different experiences, depending on our attitudes.

I make a conscious effort to seek out new adventures, big and small. If I just waited for opportunities to come to me, I probably would be waiting a long time. But knowing myself and my desire for new experiences, I am constantly seeking out new opportunities to explore (I keep a running list!).

It’s a practice that I’ve learned to develop and cultivate. It takes work and planning (yes, I plan to be spontaneous), but I’ve done a lot of things I probably wouldn’t have otherwise (and it helps to have friends who are always up for an adventure!).

How do you keep your sense of adventure alive? I’d love to hear any tips you have!