The Sweet Adventure of Life

Definition of UNEXPECTED:

“not regarded as likely to happen“

Life is full of unexpected stuff.

Whether it’s running into your old boyfriend in line for a pony ride (for his kids, not for him, because that would be creepy & I’m talking about unexpected, not creepy, even though it’s Halloween…) or learning that the red bumps assumed to be infected mosquito bites were actually fly larvae building a love nest (unexpected & creepy & unfortunately true but I’ll spare you the details), unexpected stuff happens.

What I am (slowly) figuring out is the way we choose to view an unexpected event is what defines the effect of the event on our life. This applies to all events equally – when it’s silly (like pony ride run-ins and fly eggs) and when the poo gets real.

Over the last couple of years a light bulb has been turning on (dimly perhaps) as I realize that the adventures we seek for fun are really just awesome training opportunities for the twists and turns of life. Training for the unexpected. 

Here’s what I mean —

Definition of ADVENTURE:
“participation in hazardous or exciting experiences”

When we participate in something, isn’t it the allure of the unexpected elements that make it an adventure? The thrill of not knowing if it will be hazardous or exciting? Going to haunted houses, trying new foods, travelling, or even shopping at TJ Maxx – we are propelled by the curiosity of “what will happen?”. 

We go into an adventure expecting the unexpected. We are ready to buckle up and enjoy the ride of the unknown becoming known. Regardless of outcome, the experience nourishes us with knowledge, strength, and confidence (and maybe even the perfect shirt for $14.99, regularly $49.99).

Wouldn’t it be sweet if we could choose to see everything in life as an adventure? From important to trivial, relationships to a Target shopping trip during the holidays, approaching something as an adventure allows us to naturally shift to expecting the unexpected and be energized by harnessing our fear of the unknown. The beauty is you don’t win or lose on an adventure. You explore. You listen to your instincts. You rely on the resources around you. You push. You evolve with each step a bit closer to the best possible version of yourself.

Life is really just a string of adventures, isn’t it?

A few months ago an incredibly unexpected opportunity presented itself, giving my adventure approach a meaty chance to test its wings. It was a scary proposition, but the details were intriguing and our guts screamed “go for it” (even with all the heartache, sniff sniff). So we chose to buckle up, settle into a deep acceptance of the unknown, and set off for a new adventure.

It looked something like this –

Honoring a decade of sweet memories.

Packing kids. *Look closely.

Loading our life.

Soaking in friendships and the Mile High sun.

Heading east.

Seeing red in Nebraska.

Cherishing QT in Iowa.

Loving special friends in the Windy City. xoxo

Making emergency stops in Indiana.

Embracing the surreal.

Seeking inspiration.

Exploring the neighborhood.

The adventure has definitely lived up to the definition – rich with hazard (mostly emotional) and excitement for our new (sorta) normal and new (sorta) neighbors in the big White House.

Through all of this transition, much action has been taking place behind the scenes exploring what this means for Sweetlife Adventures. Continuing adventures in Colorado while expanding on the East Coast is the plan. The sweet model for how this will look is taking shape thanks to a great team of Adventure Hosts and committed partners. *If you’re interested in learning more about hosting an adventure, click here to contact me and we’ll chat. 

The 2014 Adventures will be shared soon but in the meantime, you will hear from me now and then – random adventure ideas, sweet nothings pondering the meaning of life, or tales from the wilds of the Boston/DC area (I’m East Coast geographically challenged).  I’ll also be asking to hear from you with your sweet thoughts on what types of adventures interest you, what makes your life sweet, and more.

Special note – wild rides are great but they aren’t for everyone – as Raleigh will attest after we took her on her first roller coaster this summer. Oops. 

Before shot. The After shot wasn’t pretty.

I completely understand if you don’t want to hear about our wild ride. Please unsubscribe if you find this babble less than sweet.  After completing a massive purge during the move, I have a restored commitment to unsubscribing from things that don’t add value – physical, emotional, and electronic. 

Here’s to continued adventures – expected and unexpected.

Sweetly,
kristi