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Tag: adventure

Personal ROI

I’m nearing my 10-year anniversary of first arriving in Nepal and thinking of who I am now vs. the young woman who left New York City in 2013 has me in the feels. Sure, coming to Nepal alone is gutsy. Staying to start A Dream Project from scratch and working day in and day out to build a sustainable, stable learning environment in a place that can be anything but that has led to more sacrifice and hardship than I could have ever imagined. 

I suppose when you start evaluating your life’s work, you must weigh benefits next to spent resources. That’s ROI, for my business peeps. When I consider:

  • The students who have been inspired because of Learning House
  • Landscapes and cultures that I might have only read about but got to experience
  • The friends who encouraged me and believed in me

Worth a decade of my life? Possibly. From installing a solar grid to helping students experience new ideas and places, getting my research published, organizing hundreds of workshops and events, growing an education center that has reached thousands of students, mentoring leaders in the community… 

I am proud.

While I’m not exactly the same woman I was 10 years ago, I am thankful that I held onto the bravery and courage needed to listen to my heart’s call, even when the path ahead was clouded in fog. A friend recently reminded me that the greatest stones are often buried in the thickest of earth. I pray my efforts to spread kindness and creativity in a small corner of the world yield gems yet to be discovered.

Celebrating 9 years of connection, questions, inspiration, adventure, and more

Welcome! And hooray!

After over nine years of blogging, dinners, questions, and exploration, I thought it was time to spruce things up. You may notice a new look on my pages. (If you see any “bugs” or places that need attention, let me know.)

Project Exponential now redirects to my personal site. Dinners in NYC may resume, but they’ll be adjusted according to scale and demand.

In the meantime, I’m taking on a select number of coaching clients and will consider consulting and writing projects upon request. If you’re interested in working together, you can reach out.

I’m grateful to be on this adventure with you. Thanks for being here.

A manual for at-home daily adventure

Some folks are pretty bummed at the prospect of cancelled events, social quarantine, and days spent at home. Others are thrilled: Time to catch up on Netflix, read those books on the shelf, spend time with family, or just chill on the couch.

Life doesn’t have to become boring because social calendars are reduced. In fact, there are plenty of things you can do to shake things up, test limits, have some fun, and inspire others to do the same — right from the comfort of your own home.

We all have different thresholds for excitement and adventure, so pick what feels brave and fun to you. 

  1. Watch an inspiring documentary.
  2. Make something with Play-Doh or clay.
  3. Create a collage with newspapers, magazines, or other things you find around the house.
  4. Join a virtual dance party.
  5. Call a friend.
  6. Write a love letter.
  7. Savor a hot cup of coffee.
  8. Draw something with your opposite hand.
  9. Write a pageful of questions. Don’t worry about the answers.
  10. Plan a trip.
  11. Take a virtual tour of a famous museum.
  12. Stare out the window. Daydream.
  13. Make a themed playlist.
  14. Ask friends for book recommendations.
  15. Write a note to someone who has inspired you.
  16. List 100 things you’d like to do within the next 30 years.
  17. Sign up for an online class.
  18. Move! Jump. Skip. Do some pushups.
  19. Bake something or try a new recipe.
  20. Compliment a stranger online.
  21. Brush your teeth with your opposite hand.
  22. Concentrate on nothing except pouring yourself a cup of tea.
  23. Host an online trivia night with friends.
  24. List 10 “self care” items. Aim to do 2-3 each day.
  25. Unplug and turn off everything. Eat by candlelight.
  26. Think of ways to support local business owners.
  27. Stargaze.
  28. List 4 things you are thankful for in this moment.
  29. Grab your favorite book and sit in the sun.
  30. Think about the book you’d like to write.
  31. Set a new fitness goal.
  32. Initiate conversation.
  33. Sing loudly in the shower/your car/your backyard.
  34. Doodle.
  35. Plant something.
  36. Allow yourself 5 minutes of doing nothing.
  37. Paint. Draw. Make something. It doesn’t have to be good.
  38. Count your breath: 6 seconds for each inhale, pause, exhale.
  39. Style your hair differently.
  40. Hide a note for someone to find.
  41. Be a slob. Don’t make the bed. Leave it on the floor.
  42. Eat with chopsticks.
  43. Build a tent in your living room.
  44. Pretend you’re famous.
  45. Ask yourself: “If you could do anything, anywhere, what would it be?”
  46. Clean. Throw out junk. Organize.
  47. Put together the wackiest outfit you can think of.
  48. Donate money to a cause you’re interested in.
  49. Write down what your life looks next year. Five years from now.
  50. Try at-home yoga.

Let me know how it goes.

Modified from A Manual for Daily Adventure.

Greatest hits

442 posts published since 2012. Here are the top 12 most visited:

  1. 12 questions to turn small talk into real talk
  2. 5 rules of hustling
  3. What brings people together?
  4. A coffee riddle
  5. The quiet room
  6. 19 things you can do instead of grad school
  7. 10 questions to ask at a dinner party (instead of “What do you do?”)
  8. The people in your life will make or break you
  9. 7 perks of growing up
  10. Stop trying to find your purpose
  11. 7 sins of crowdfunding
  12. No one has it figured out

Thank you for reading, for asking questions, for exploring, and for committing to make the world a kinder, more generous place.

Add magic

Instead of focusing on what is wrong or needs to change in your life, add something. Look for ways to fill your life with magic.

Once a day, once a week, even once a month, incorporate something that inspires you: A song that brings you joy. A place with fond memories. Fifteen minutes sitting on a bench in the park. Dancing.

Get intentional about this. Instead of waiting for a miracle to happen to you, create one for yourself. Fill your space with candles or flowers. Take a class. Wander aimlessly through a bookstore. Play. Sit in the sun. Find a new restaurant.

When you actively build excitement into daily living, work becomes more productive, relationships become more fulfilling, and life becomes brighter.

I wish for you magic, today and always.

Announcements (plus a free ebook)

Have you heard? I’ve put together a free ebook on adventure and risk-taking. You can download it here.
Also, September’s NYC dinner event is almost sold out. Get in touch if you’d like to be considered. This private event is limited to fifteen participants in order to encourage meaningful conversation and constructive networking. If not this time, we can keep you on the list for future dinners.
Questions? Reach out or say hi @redheadlefthand.