ADVENTURE + ALIVENESS Page 8 of 22

What’s going on – our guide to thought-provoking + life-changing events this month

Posted on 2015-10-05 at 8:00 am.

To kick off this month’s theme, ‘Love to Relax’, we want to let you know about some inspirational events that are happening across the world this October.

1) YESTIVAL (Surrey, UK)

October 23 – 25, 2015

At Do What You Love all our work is driven by our core values: Freedom, Bravery, Purpose, Authenticity and Connection. So when an event comes along that encapsulates everything we believe in we just have to shout about it!

This month our friend and DWYL Alchemist Dave Cornthwaite, is organizing such an event… welcome to YESTIVAL!

Yestival is a brand new event set in the stunning Surrey countryside with around 200 people who are ready to instigate small lifestyle choices that ultimately lead to big changes. Boasting over 30 lectures, workshops and activities on subjects ranging from adventure, working around the world, podcasting and biodiversity, this event is stacked with brainfood to get your motivational cogs turning.

If you’re ready for an autumnal recharge and love the idea of campfires, making new friends, relaxing in peaceful surroundings, being inspired and generally just feeling warm and fuzzy inside, grab your ticket now or visit www.sayyestival.com for more information. There’s no better way to spend a weekend in October.

2) Yoga and Detoxification: Mind & Body Sayulita (Haramara Retreat, Mexico)

October 17-24, 2015 

Imagine being completely de-stressed and feeling calm, healthy, refreshed, and at peace. Imagine doing daily yoga classes in an open-air palapa in the jungle and learning tools for daily health transformation. Imagine enjoying nourishing whole foods and freshly squeezed juices to rejuvenate your soul. Imagine swimming in the sparkling blue ocean, and laughing with new friends. This is life at the Haramara Retreat.

Image credit: Haramara Retreat

Run by Dr. Lynn von Schneidau, Naturopathic Physician and Eiric Ovrid, yogi this seven-day break is for anyone who wants to detoxify, heal and revive their spirit, regain energy and vitality, balance their hormones and emotions, calm their thoughts and embark on a voyage of self-discovery in a beautiful serene environment. Find out more here.

3) The world’s first mindfulness summit

October 1 – 31, 2015

Melli O’Brien of MrsMindfulness.com has gathered over 30 of the world’s leading experts on meditation and mindfulness for a series of online interviews, practice sessions and presentations, which you can watch for FREE from the comfort of your own home!

The Mindfulness Summit is a not-for-profit project with a mission to make mindfulness mainstream. Their aim is to make high quality mindfulness training accessible to everyone and support mindfulness-based charities at the same time. Watch this video to find out if the summit is for you.

It’s not too late to take part in The Mindfulness Summit. Click here and sign up today.

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We know it can be a little scary to try something different but when you find a community or a ‘tribe’ that understands you it can be incredibly inspiring and motivating. When you surround yourself with like-minded people, who share similar values and who care about the same things, your defences come down and you are able to draw breath and relax from the inside. You can listen whilst others share their stories and wildest dreams. You may even find yourself sharing your own thoughts, motivations and hopes for the future, safe in the knowledge that there is no judgement, only support and encouragement from people who get you. Ultimately, you discover that there’s no need to be afraid. No need to pretend. You can just be you – real, authentic, and true.

If nothing else, by venturing out of your comfort zone and trying something new you’ll have met some fascinating people and have fresh food for thought so there’ll be lots to chat about on Monday morning at work!

And if you can’t make it to any of these events, why not take your journal off somewhere quiet and answer some of these questions yourself?

What you really want from life? What do you want to give back?
How you want to feel each and every day? What could you do differently, or more often, so you feel that way?
Do you get annoyed at people’s (or your own) negative attitude to life? If so, what can you do about it.
What could you do today to make yourself more aware of the small things in life that make you happy?
What small changes can you make to give yourself more time each day to relax?

Let us know how you get on,

The DWYL team

Disclaimer: We are not affiliates of or involved in the running of any of the suggested events. Please contact the organisers directly with any questions or queries.

How do you train for a 10-month, 10,000km, cycle ride on a bamboo bike?

Posted on 2015-09-08 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

This is a guest post from Claire Le Hur who is cycling to China with her fiancé Stuart Block. The couple will start their journey in East Africa where they will follow new ‘silk roads’ charting the journey of key natural resources as part of an exciting new education project. Claire will be riding a bamboo bike, built by an African social enterprise and Stuart will ride a tandem, keeping the back seat of the tandem free for those they meet en route. They will also be raising money and awareness for two great educational charities. Find out more about Claire’s big adventure here.

People keep asking me how Stuart and I are preparing for the 10-month trip in which we plan to cycle in excess of 10,000km and, to be honest, I don’t really know how to answer.

Those who have done similar things have told me that you can’t really prepare for a challenge like this. They say that the real training happens during the first couple of weeks on the road. I just hope it’s true – and that the places we go and the people we meet will take my mind off my sore legs and bum!

Of course many people who take on challenges like this would go all out to get super fit and bike ready, just look at Mark Beaumont who recently set a new world record by cycling over 10,000km from Cairo to Cape Town in less than 42 days! Luckily for me, we aren’t trying to break any records!

Then there are inspirational people like the retired headmistress Anne Mustoe, who took up cycling at the age of 54 and rode around the world twice – once in each direction – writing brilliant books about her adventures along the way. I love this excerpt from her obituary in The Times:

“… When she resolved to cycle round the world, Mustoe was 54, somewhat overweight and unfit, and without any idea of how to mend a puncture. She had not ridden a bike for 30 years, wobbled when she tried again, and she hated camping, picnics and discomfort. Her Condor bicycle, customised for her by a mechanic with a workshop in the Old Kent Road, was bought for her as a leaving present from the girls at her school, and she was still riding it 22 years and about 100,000 miles later on her last cycle trip this year…”

You can buy Anne’s books here.

Stu and I lie somewhere between these extremes (albeit Stu has Mark’s passion, drive and determination, and being a cycling novice, I’m definitely more like Anne!) but hopefully we’ll make a good team. And who knows, there might even be a book in us too!

But back to my training…

In April 2014 I got on a road bike for the first time in years. Stu and I cycled up the famous Col de la Columbière, which was still closed to cars due to the snow. It was amazingly do-able, although we went very slowly.

Fast forward 16 months and we were back in the Alps. I had cycled up the Col twice, from both sides, and rather worryingly I found it so much harder. There is a lot to be said for being a novice and not having any idea about what is going on!

Getting some practice in: cycling Col de la Colombière in the Alps, one of the most famous and notorious Tour de France climbs

This experience flagged up three big issues that I needed to overcome pretty quickly:

Issue #1: Stop comparing myself

I realised that I had to stop getting disheartened when ‘Super-Stu’ disappears over the top of yet another hill leaving me panting, sweating, cursing him and sometimes even crying, as I make my way up to the top.

Our first ‘training ride’ in the Alps was the perfect example of such a scenario. “Let’s do a nice 60km circuit and go up the Col de la Columbière from the other side,” said Stuart. I thought that sounded OK. Only three hills and 2100m climbing – but I wouldn’t think about that! The first hill proved horrible, very narrow with lots of gravel, and I was slipping everywhere, while doing climbs that were about 18%. I was forced to admit defeat twice (which is not easy for me) and get off and walk.

Now I am truing to stop comparing myself to Stu and be honest with him about how I am finding the challenge rather than getting emotional and snapping at him. I keep reminding myself that I am not a pro, that this is all quite new to me and that I am proud of my own achievements.

Issue #2: Saddling up with smile

My saddle is made by Brooks so it’s made of very hard leather which is meant to mould to your bum ensuring maximum comfort… in the end! I have been using mine for about two months now and must have done hundreds of miles but the saddle is still so hard. After a big cycle ride it’s impossible to sit down properly and I confess I’m slightly worried about how much longer it will take to break in. Watch this space, I will let you know how it goes.

Issue #3: Getting the right bike

My beautiful bamboo bike is finished! British engineer and bike designer Rich Chapman has done an amazing job on it following the wonderful work Kasoma Nordin started in Uganda.

Kasoma is regarded as the best Bamboo bike builder in Africa and he’s now producing beautiful bamboo bikes. This is Claire’s in the making

We decided that riding my new bike around the Alps would be a bit silly as a heavy touring bike might not do much for my confidence! So I was riding my old road bike with temperamental gears and a dodgy back wheel, which finally broke on a fast descent from Col de Croix-Fry. Back in London I rode the bamboo bike for the first time in torrential rain – not really a fair first outing – so it’s been great to get out there and ride it properly.

Claire’s bamboo bike is ready for action

We’ve been trying to be sensible and go out for regular bike rides, with some back to back days, but there is little more to our training programme that than. Stuart did joke one evening that we should try to ‘fatten up’ a bit before we go because we’ll be burning so much energy so that has been the perfect excuse to eat and drink a lot! It will be very interesting to see how my body changes as the months go on. Psychologically things are bound to change too, and I know that I need to relax and not think about things too much… which will be very good for me!

As our leaving date gets closer we have also been doing lots of admin and I am driving myself crazy with lists! There’s so much to do – not just in terms of packing up and making sure we have the right kit, but saying our goodbyes, etc. We’ve also just finished getting the charity and educational side of things up and running now, which will make the trip even more exciting and worthwhile. I still can’t believe we’re about to head off and sometimes I find myself wondering what I’d be doing for the next year if we weren’t about to head off on this great adventure!

My next post will be about our adventures with Kasoma Nordin in Uganda before we head into Rwanda – I can’t wait!

Introducing our new guest blogger: Claire Le Hur

Posted on 2015-09-01 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

We are delighted to introduce you to our new guest blogger, Claire Le Hur. Classics teacher Claire is about to embark on a huge adventure with her fiancé, and fellow teacher, Stuart.

New to the world of cycling, Claire is now in serious training

The couple plan to cycle to China following ancient and new silk routes from Africa to Asia before heading back to Europe. Despite being a cycling novice, Claire will be riding a bamboo bike made by a social enterprise in Uganda while Stuart rides a tandem keeping the back seat free for those they meet en route who wish to be part of the journey.

Travelling at the pace of 1st century traders, using modern electronics to record the adventure, Claire and stuart will explore the shifting balance of power in the world economy and other geographical, historical, anthropological and linguistic themes in an exciting educational project aimed at students worldwide.

In partnership with Tutor2U, one of the world’s leading educational websites, and working with the British Council’s connecting classrooms programme, the project will see the couple produce blogs, videos, Skype lessons and other educational resources to help young people understand how trade, technology and education have helped shape economic development over the centuries.

They are also raising money and awareness for two educational charities, one in Africa and one in Asia. Claire will be posting regularly to keep us up to date with her and Stuart’s progress and you can read her first post, about how they are preparing for this huge challenge, on Tuesday September 9.

How do you want to feel when you look back at your life?

Posted on 2015-08-28 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

What do you love about adventure?

Posted on 2015-08-24 at 2:06 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

What do you love about adventure? The Do What You Love team share their thoughts…

VICKIE: For me, adventure is always accompanied by a sense of excitement, anticipation and novelty. Maybe even a little bit of fear, but in a good way! There is something strangely comforting in finding yourself alone with your backpack on the other side of the world. Letting go of what I know makes me feel like I am a part of something bigger and it is very refreshing.

RACHEL: This year my mantra is: “say yes to new experiences”. So instead of questioning why an opportunity has come my way, I just embrace it. I figure that by saying yes instead of no:

1) I have nothing to lose, and lots to gain!

2) I’ll feel more positive and excited about life

3) I’ll learn and grow

4) I’ll enrich my quality of life and make possibility a reality for me, and my family.

5) I’ll be more confident when it comes to making big decisions.

LOUISE: Life is an adventure! I like to think of everyday as a new start, a new journey, a new adventure. Letting the flow take me, embracing what may show up. Adventure to me is also growing, expanding and trying something new. Following our intuition will lead to many more new adventures.

PAUL: My sense of adventure had been repressed a little until I met my wife. She reminded me of the wonders that lie just an adventure away. I didn’t need a destination just a desire to go. We live in a world full of inspiration and allowing ourselves to be inspired is the first step towards the courage to venture forth. I look forward to sharing my adventures with my girls.

What are your thoughts? What do you love about adventure?

A week in Berlin: a taste of life as a digital nomad

Posted on 2015-08-14 at 3:53 pm.

Written by vbnz

Today’s post is by Vickie Binz, Marketing Manager at Do What You Love.

*Image credit: Stefano Borghi, www.stefanoborghi.com*

I wrote this article while sitting on the floor at Berlin Schönefeld airport waiting to travel back to London. My plane may have been delayed for 5 hours but I felt lucky…

This was a great opportunity to get ahead with work
The WiFi at the airport was really fast
My computer still had 57% of battery life
I was eating a free sandwich bought with vouchers from the airline
I had a carry on bag containing everything I needed to be comfortable
I could stay with friends in London since my plane was getting in so late – and we love an impromptu catch-up!

IMG_20150814_105553_resized — *Waiting for my delayed plane*

Rewind a few days and I was excited to be flying to Berlin to attend the first-ever global digital nomad conference, www.dnxglobal.com. The Do What You Love team works remotely so I was intrigued by the prospect of meeting people who work the same way, or who’ve taken it one step further.

My mission: find out more about digital nomads and their lifestyle to then spread the word about a movement that seems to be well in line with our values: sustaining a happy life while doing what you love.

And because I love to visit new places, experience new things and meet new people, I decided to stay on for a week, and live and work in Berlin as a “local”.

So what did my experience teach me about the life of a digital nomad?

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How do you feel about the path you’re travelling?

Posted on 2015-08-14 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Can Being Bored Make You More Successful?

Posted on 2015-08-11 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Today we bring you a guest post by Charles Scott, an endurance athlete and family adventurer who believes that embracing new experiences is the key to living a full and happy life.

The broad adoption of anywhere anytime computing into modern culture has transformed not just office productivity and modes of communication. It has also reset expectations. We expect immediate gratification from our devices, instant responses to our texts, and in perhaps the least analyzed transformation, the promise of release from boredom. But [Tweet “think twice before eliminating boredom from your life – it may turn out to be your key to success.”]

When I worked in the mobile products group at Intel Corporation a decade ago, we often discussed the nirvana represented by anytime anywhere computing. Intel had not yet launched its Centrino platform, which would integrate wireless technology into laptops. And most people used handheld devices primarily for checking their e-mail and calendar. We often discussed how great it would be to have the Internet at our fingertips at all times. A decade later this is old news, of course. And although many companies tried, Apple had the greatest success in bringing the anytime anywhere vision to the consumer market with the iPhone and iPad.

In making the Internet and an endless collection of apps available on demand, the iPhone represents the monetization of spare time. The term “micro-boredom” appeared in a Marketing magazine article in 2001 to describe an emerging usage model among Internet users looking to “kill a few minutes of spare time.” Since then, filling spare moments of boredom has emerged as a massive business opportunity for the technology industry.

Stuck in line at the grocery store? Sitting in a dark theater before the movie starts? Waiting for the subway? Don’t let your mind sit idle – play a game of Angry Birds, send a text, or check Facebook.

Driving? Out to dinner with your spouse? In a yoga class? In a meeting at work? Don’t get bogged down with a sustained focus on your responsibilities – check your e-mail or see how the stock market is doing. I won’t even pretend to admonish you to avoid these last examples.

We all know better, but for some reason, we just can’t help ourselves.

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Adventure – are you getting enough?

Posted on 2015-08-10 at 9:47 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Today’s post is by Rachel Kempton, Senior Editor at Do What You Love

I love the idea of microadventures; mini escapes for people who want an ‘adventure’ but who don’t have the time, money, freedom or expertise to do something big or off the wall. It’s a concept that I was introduced to recently by one of Do What You Love’s guest bloggers, adventurer and author Alastair Humphries, and one that has inspired me to think about adventure as a whole, and what it really means to me.

Adventure can mean something different to everyone. For many it’s about thrills and excitement, taking risks, or discovering the unexpected. For some it’s about physical exertion and extreme, even dangerous, challenges; and for others, it can be mental or spiritual, or involve an emotional journey of some kind. For me, adventure is about being open to new experiences and finding little ways to challenge myself every day. It’s about making life richer and more fulfilling, creating lasting memories, learning, growing and getting to know myself better, and ultimately, doing more of what I love.

When you choose adventure, doors open – as if by magic!

As Alastair says: “You do not need to fly to the other side of the planet… be an elite athlete, expertly trained, or rich to have an adventure. Adventure is just a state of mind. Adventure is stretching yourself; mentally, physically or culturally. It is about doing what you do not normally do… and doing it to the best of your ability.”

Adventure is a way of being, a way of seeing, an approach to life.

Over the last few weeks, in a bid to mix up my day-to-day routine, I’ve been challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone and seek out adventure in my daily life. So far I found myself doing all sorts of new things: reading (and enjoying!) books I wouldn’t normally choose; getting up earlier and starting my day with a morning power walk or breakfast in a café; learning new skills to boost my creativity; exploring new towns close to home; and planning our next big steps as a family.

Half the fun is getting there! I’ve realised that when you see life as an adventure even mundane things, like supermarket shopping with my son, can be fun, especially if they involve befriending grizzly bears on the way there and getting the bus home!

I’ve also been inspired to organize a couple of impromptu microadventures with my little family. One was cycling the Tissington Trail in Derbyshire. Although we didn’t quite manage the full 26-mile course we pushed ourselves and definitely earned our picnic! Escaping the city and immersing ourselves in nature, even for one day, was so liberating and energizing. It’s true what they say: ‘the best things in life are free’.

My other microadventure was a last minute trip to Croatia – somewhere my husband and I have never been before. Every part was an adventure, from flying with an excited two-year-old (which, as any parent knows, is all part of the fun!) and driving on the other side of the road, to familiarizing ourselves with the language, culture and food and deciding what we most wanted to see and do.

The stunning Istrian Peninsula coastline inspired us to dream

The highlight was heading inland and veering off the beaten track, up a steep, winding, dusty gravel road, to explore the charming hilltop town of Grožnjan.

In the summer months Grožnjan’s labyrinth of cobbled streets and courtyards become one great stage for musicians.

Grožnjan is home to around 30 national and international artists whose houses are the stuff of fairy tales and fantasy novels with their tiny doors, colourful house numbers and cute window boxes. It was a pleasure to wander around the artists’ open studios and galleries and see them blissfully happy in their surroundings, making a living by doing what they love.

A gorgeous photography studio – I couldn’t resist treating myself to a print!

Grožnjan’s lovely antiques dealer

A potter’s paradise: an open ceramics studio

The last few weeks have shown me that adventure really is right there for the taking! It’s all around us, at all times, so it’s up to us to seek it out. Here are my top tips for making adventure part of your every day life:

Alter your perspective: see adventure, and the ability to seek it out in the daily routine of life, as a challenge. Each morning ask yourself: How can I be more adventurous today?
Slow down and indulge your senses: The more we tune into our five senses, the more easily we can tune into that magical and vital ‘sixth sense’ – intuition – the gut-feeling we all have. We also start paying more attention the signs all around us, the little ‘coincidences’ and ‘messages from the universe,’ as well as the things that feel good, easy, or magical, we open the door to possibility. All of these are clues leading us towards what it is we really love, and want to be doing, and invite serendipitous opportunities our way.
Switch off regularly. Give yourself permission to have a daily digital detox. Step away from any distractions, and focus on what you really want to do. Adventure can only start when you take control and captain your own ship.
Live in the moment and be spontaneous. Planning is all well and good but sometimes you just have to do it. Some of the best adventures come as a result of an impulsive, spur of the moment decision. What would you love to go and do today, tomorrow, or this weekend? How can you make it happen?
Connect with your inner child: The wilder your imagination the better! Climb a tree, write a story, go running, roll down a hill, sleep under the stars, take a road trip, take a new class, start a conversation with the mystery person you pass each day on the way to work – everything in life can be an adventure if you choose to see it that way.

We’ll be blogging about adventure throughout August and we hope our posts inspire you to be more adventurous in your daily life. As always we love to hear from you so please do share your experiences – no matter how big or small.

How courageous are you?

Posted on 2015-08-07 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton