7 things I learnt after taking a break from microadventures…

I spent two years going on weekly microadventures. Once a week, I would get out and explore in as many different ways as possible, in a mission to make life feel more exciting.

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of waiting for the big moments; the life achievements, the big holidays etc and life can feel like it’s passing you by. When you’re constantly chasing the next big thing, you sometimes forget to just enjoy the moment.

After feeling like life was feeling a little mundane, and I wasn’t doing the things I actually wanted to do, I decided to set myself a little task. To go on a microadventure every week.

What is a microadventure, I hear you ask…

Alastair Humphreys, who coined the term microadventure, says;

“A microadventure is an adventure that is short, simple, local, cheap — yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding,”Alastair Humphreys, The Manual.com

I truly belive anything can be a microadventure – whether it’s a trip to the cinema, a hike you’ve always wanted to do, or simply taking a different route home. That’s the true beauty of a microadventure.

And this is how I spent the next two years; microadventuring

And it’s genuinely the best thing I ever did, and led to so many cool opportunities – because I was open to everyday adventures.

I started paddleboarding, visited places I’ve always wanted to both at home, and further afield. I reframed experiences as adventures, took different more sceneic routes, made new friends, said yes to spontaneous adventures.

Until I stopped

I spent two full years prioritising microadventures, and loved it.

But then life got on top of me, and I started struggling. I stopped prioritising microadventures, and spoiler alert, it’s had a real negative impact on my life.

Because my microadventures hadn’t just been a fun thing to do. That weekly source of joy did wonders for my confidence, my mental and my physical health, and all of those started to disintergrate the moment I stopped having my everyday adventures.

Here are 7 things I’ve learnt from not having microadventures

Take this as the 10 reasons you need to start having microadventures in your life

1. Microadventures are essential for your mental wellbeing;
   Seriously, my mental wellbeing has suffered majorly since I stopped prioritising my microadventures. I’ve felt more down, had less energy and felt like my mental resistance wasn’t there either
2. It’s very easy to get out of the adventure mindset;
   I had got to the point where I could make anything into an adventure. It’s a great way to add some optimism into life, and I felt like I was attracting more adventure into my life because of it.
   
   It’s easy to let that go though. To slip out of the routine. Like all habits, it takes work (and is 100% worth it)
3. You do have time for microadventures, if you prioritise it;
   This is massive. It’s so easy to say you don’t have time for microadventures. But I challenge you to commit 1 hour a week. You can do it solo, with friends, with the family – and remember anything can be a microadventure.
4. You need to give yourself a reason to go outside;
   A lot of my microadventures involved going outside, and because this wasn’t a part of my daily and weekly routine, I quickly found myself at the end of some days realising I hadn’t spent any time outside!
5. Unless it’s on the list, it doesn’t get done;
   The moment I didn’t have a microadventure on my weekly list, it just didn’t happen. Schedule the time in your diary, block it out, and go on your adventures!
6. It’s okay to prioritise rest;
   Part of the reason I’ve not had any microadventures is because I’ve been in a huge chronic illness flare up that has made it more difficult to get out and about. And what I’ve realised is that whilst microadventures are important for my mental health wellbeing, so is prioritising rest!
7. Remember to embrace the micro nature of a microadventure
   A microadventure can be as simple as a 20 minute walk from your house, browsing a bookshop, or looking up at the stars one night and do some stargazing. They can be done from your own home, and especially when you’re not in the best place, the more micro the better – you will still feel a massive benefit!

Looking for microadventure inspo? Make sure to head over to my instagram where I regularly share lots of ways to embrace everyday adventures into your daily life!