In today’s society many fall victim to the monotony of the 21st Century assembly line lifestyle – a lifestyle that has transformed some of our greatest minds to 9 – 5 drones. It’s easy to see why this has become the norm. It’s reliable. It’s comfortable. It’s safe. There is nothing wrong with that, but awareness is key.
Routine, comfort, and safety can be traps that stifle creativity and transform the most outgoing individuals into hoop jumpers.
Don’t live to get by or be satisfied. Take control and create better answers than “good,” “fine,” or “too short,” to the question “How was your weekend?” when you return to the office on Monday.
Battle complacency with every ounce of your being and for the sake of humanity take a risk! Find your calling and do whatever it takes to push the limits, excel, and flirt with your comfort zone. Whether on a post work-day adventure, weekend excursion, or long awaited journey, the first step is to go! Stupidity and unnecessary risk will not move mankind forward, but passion and well-examined journeys to the outer limits of comfort are where we must plant the seeds for our future.
The idle human and complacent society will achieve nothing more than adding the next rung on the ever-growing ladder to repetitive nowhere.
Dare to do something different. Find your passion outdoors and chase it. What better place to unnerve yourself and rattle the cage of society than the wild places of this planet, where the only rules in place are those governed by Mother Nature herself, and the act of simply being requires building a dynamic relationship with the world around you.
Here is where you can test yourself, learn your boundaries, and participate in calculated risk so far removed from the folks you left behind. Let your mind wander and your thoughts be free.
Your 3-sided cubicle is now a fallen tree, ice cold lake, and looming mountainside. Thoughts will no longer reverberate off blank white walls and back into the glow of a computer screen. Instead, they reach over mountains and under rocks, into the stars, and beyond the heavens. Nature knows no bounds and is here to help you learn something new, see something in a different light, make your heart beat a little faster, and fight the dangers of complacency.
Hike a littler farther. Climb a little higher. Ski a little steeper. Jump into that glacier lake. Flip over that rotting log. Sleep outside. Get a little nervous. Take a risk! The lessons you learn from nature, at the edge of your comfort zone, will transcend those that our complacent counterparts piece together while basking in the buzz of the nightly news.
By doing our part to break the mold, we collectively help lift the blindfold off the eyes of society and fight the monotony of another tomorrow identical to yesterday. Get outside, embrace the unknown, and grow. Leave complacency behind and clock back in on Monday with a newly enlightened smile on your face.