Have you heard of the idea of 'micro-adventures'? It's something that Alastair Humphreys has really championed - micro-adventures are cheap, quick and simple adventures that don't need lots of planning, equipment or even a particularly adventurous spirit. Even if you only have a couple of hours, you can still have fun, and be challenged in some way, which will refresh and reinvigorate you and make you feel there's more to life than the daily grind.
This is hard for people who live in the city or far from any beautiful green spaces but if you're anywhere near the Yorkshire Dales, it's really easy. A micro-adventure is anything that feels good for you. You don't have to rock climb - you might just skip dinner in front of the TV in favour of an impromptu picnic sitting on a Dales rock admiring the view. Or perhaps you could dash out in your lunch break or before work to do a little wild swimming, or maybe just some paddling or mud-larking? The idea is to simply feel like you're living, not just existing.
Micro-adventures are brilliant with children - and sometimes it's the simple things that work best. A long time ago when my daughter was young, we had a storm with masses of thunder and raining. I think she was a bit scared and to distract her I came up with the 'genius' idea of both of us taking off all our clothes and dancing naked in the rain in the garden (it's quite a private garden!). Fun, free, easy entertainment that we both still look on fondly. Another time I took a friend's children to the top of a Dales hill. They were city dwellers so not used to climbing uneven hills, and their walks at home usually ended with an ice cream or other treat/bribe to get them out of the house. I promised them a slightly different one - the chance to do something their mother would never let them do at home. When we got to the top of the hill, with no one in sight/ear-shot, I challenged them to scream and shout as much as they could for as long as they could. I still remember the joy on their faces when they experienced such simple freedom.
Alastair's Do Lectures talk is great - watch it below and go to his website to see more about how he's made a life and a living out of having fun.
This is hard for people who live in the city or far from any beautiful green spaces but if you're anywhere near the Yorkshire Dales, it's really easy. A micro-adventure is anything that feels good for you. You don't have to rock climb - you might just skip dinner in front of the TV in favour of an impromptu picnic sitting on a Dales rock admiring the view. Or perhaps you could dash out in your lunch break or before work to do a little wild swimming, or maybe just some paddling or mud-larking? The idea is to simply feel like you're living, not just existing.
Micro-adventures are brilliant with children - and sometimes it's the simple things that work best. A long time ago when my daughter was young, we had a storm with masses of thunder and raining. I think she was a bit scared and to distract her I came up with the 'genius' idea of both of us taking off all our clothes and dancing naked in the rain in the garden (it's quite a private garden!). Fun, free, easy entertainment that we both still look on fondly. Another time I took a friend's children to the top of a Dales hill. They were city dwellers so not used to climbing uneven hills, and their walks at home usually ended with an ice cream or other treat/bribe to get them out of the house. I promised them a slightly different one - the chance to do something their mother would never let them do at home. When we got to the top of the hill, with no one in sight/ear-shot, I challenged them to scream and shout as much as they could for as long as they could. I still remember the joy on their faces when they experienced such simple freedom.
Alastair's Do Lectures talk is great - watch it below and go to his website to see more about how he's made a life and a living out of having fun.
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