Adventure, the exploration of the unknown and unfamiliar, is vital to our wellbeing as humans.

The dictionary defines Adventure as

Noun : an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks.

Verb: engage in hazardous and exciting activity, especially the exploration of unknown territory.

A word terribly overused on social media and in marketing copy, It’s become so easy to lose touch with what adventure really is.

Adventure is not an influencer going on a scenic hike with a dslr camera. Adventure is not a bougie insta-worthy vacation.

Adventure doesn’t have to be horribly expensive or dangerous, but something that gets your mind off of cruise control. True adventure strengthens relationships and brings clarity to scattered priorities. It builds enduring confidence.

As new parents, taking our newborn home from the hospital was more of an adventure for us than hanging from cliffs or spending days in our favorite parts of the wilderness.

Whatever adventures look like for you, I hope you cherish them without comparing them to other people’s. Almost everything we do now feels like an adventure with our baby in tow. Things that used to be our favorite causal activities now feel like daring undertakings.

My hope is that we won’t dilute adventure for our children. But we’ll instill in them the muscle memory of enduring discomfort in exchange for growth, new experiences, and good healthy fun.