EXPLORE

5 WAYS TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND PURSUE ADVENTURE

GET INSPIRED

For the past year my son has been bugging me to go camping. We almost made his dream come true last October when our Cub Scout troop announced their annual camp in the Kokee Mountains. Unfortunately, that was cut short when an unexpected storm hit, cancelling our camping trip:(

But we kept hope alive.. Living on Maui, camping was a way of life for us. It was very easy as you could easily pitch a tent at most beach parks or even treck out to Hana, if you were feeling more adventurous. Unfortunately, on Kauai it isn’t so simple. Most of the campsites are in secluded areas and as a single mom I don’t feel comfortable roughing it alone.

But I kept the inspiration alive! I researched different potential campsites and constantly asked around to see if anyone we knew was interested in camping.

BE OPEN TO OPPORTUNITY

Then I got an unexpected email. My CrossFit gym was organizing a camping trip in a cabin in the Kokee mountains. Initially I was excited but then.. I realized I barely knew anyone. I asked my gym buddies if they were interested in joining but none of them were into camping. One friend even said- “You really want to go? But you don’t really know anyone”..(as if!)

The thing is, I’m a pretty shy person and the idea of camping for two days with a group of people I barely knew was pretty scary. But then it hit me, I need to be an example for my son and after all he has been wanting to camp since we moved to Kauai almost two years ago. I didn’t want him to avoid opportunities for being too shy or unsure of himself. As a mom (especially a single mom!), I had to set the example.

After one of my workouts, I asked the gym manager if the camping trip was still on and whether my son and I could join them. Although he seemed a bit surprised that I asked, he said that I was welcome to join!

COMMIT

So, I emailed the organizers and told them I would go. My friends were pretty surprised that I decided to go without really knowing anyone but again I had to think beyond myself and not deprive my kid the opportunity of a fun filled weekend in the woods. If I had not made that contact, I could have easily talked myself out of it. But making the decision to commit made all the difference for me and I didn’t regret it.

PLAN

Now, this part doesn’t sound like fun but it really made all the difference for me. Even though I was nervous about the trip, writing a list and getting all of our gear organized and ready made me feel more confident. Camping with a child can be tricky so I made sure I had all the necessary camping gear as well as snacks and first aid items. Setting these items aside, a few days ahead made it less stressful and gave me accountability as my kid saw that we were going to make this trip a reality.

BE FLEXIBLE

As much as I like to plan and organize, nature is unpredictable. Of course, we woke up to a torrential rainstorm the day of our trip! We ended up waiting a few hours and taking the drive when the rain let up. We actually ended up being really early and I was secretly thankful for the rain! The group we were camping with had planned on a specific hike but due to the rain I decided against going as I was not comfortable taking my 8 years old son on a ridge hike in the muddy rainy weather. So that’s where improvising came in. We filled up our day with kite flying and exploring the Waimea Canyon. Afterwards we regrouped at the cabin, pitched our tent and had an amazing time cooking out, roasting marshmallows and making new friends.

So, moral of the story: be open to adventure, commit and then explore!