But I hate wallowing in my own bullshit so I’m going to try to do something about it. Tomorrow is Day 1 of my June Blog Blitz. I’m producing a blogpost each day to give myself a kick in the rear, to get over this idiotic fear of publishing nonperfection. I’m also challenging myself to put a little more of ‘me’ in my writings, revealing more about myself in the process.

I started blogging in 2004 because I had something to say about the working world. I still have a lot to say; a lot of hard gained experience to share; a lot of new ideas about marketing, customers, and organizations to explore. But I’ve been holding back and that needs to end now.

Honestly, I have no idea how this will turn out but I do know this: I’m entering a land of shadows and gremlins where my dark fears lie in wait. I’m going to need encouragement and support if I’m going to exit the other side in ballsy badass blogging form.

I’m hoping you’ll come along with me on my quest. C’mon…it’s time to get started.

photo credit: sleepyneko (via Flickr)

In short, adventure playgrounds are places where children can create and modify their own environments, rather than relying on rigid equipment that only serves a limit set of programmed purposes: “In a sense, you and I have always played in ‘adventure playgrounds.’ We created a fort in the kitchen cabinets, jumped from couch to couch across oceans; we snuck out through a hole in the fence to a new world. We climbed trees and hid in bushes. We played in the mud and the rain. We chased each other, made secret worlds …”

Yeah, the concept here applies to kids, but it’s also a rich source of ideas for us adults, too. How often do we just accept our surroundings as fixed, non-transformable environments? What if we altered our everyday areas to match our moods, needs, you name it?

If you’ll excuse me…I’m off to turn my cubicle into a fort.

This morning, though, I find myself reinvigorated and ready to seek out some new adventures. My inspiration comes from Jory’s latest post where she talks about some of her own internal conflicts with seeking out real life adventure. But then she launches into her past month and reveals that – a trip to glamorous Monaco notwithstanding – her everyday life is actually rather adventurous.

There are two types of adventure we can seek out in our lives. The first is the grand version, which is what we usually equate to adventure. This is the bold backpacking trip through Costa Rica, sailing the Greek Isles, rafting the Gauley River in West Virginia, or just packing the car and setting off for a yet-unknown destination. These are experiences out of the normal flow of life. And for many of us who actually have responsibilities like jobs and children, these grand adventures are few and far between. That doesn’t mean they’re out of reach, they just may not happen as often as we’d like.

The second type of adventure can be found in the everyday. These experiences are accessible to each of us, it just requires more imagination and a willingness to think differently about what adventure really is. For me, adventure is about seeking out something new with some element of risk involved. It should get my heart pounding and evoke feelings of excitement and yes…a little fear. The everyday experience may then be chatting with a stranger (I’m kinda shy so this does get my heart racing a bit), volunteering for a meals-on-wheels drive (something I’ve never done before), or submitting an article I’ve been working on for magazine publication (I have no idea if my stuff is good enough). Those are a few of my examples…what about you?

Thanks Jory for the inspiration. And for you…what adventure can you get yourself into in the next 30 days? Any adventures – both grand and everyday – which have had a meaningful impact on your own life lately?

Sometimes I get overcharged,
that’s when you see sparks.
They ask me where the hell I’m going?
At a 1000 feet per second,
hey man, slow down, slow down,
idiot, slow down, slow down.
Radiohead – The Tourist

I fondly remember spending a college semester abroad in Oxford, England. It was a wonderful opportunity to surround myself in a different culture and experience the world from a different perspective. It was also a chance to visit all the places I had read about in books and seen on television. Along with my fiancée (now wife), we discovered ruined remains of long abandoned castles, quaint villages with thatch-covered homes, and charming roadside pubs.

We also made a point to visit London. London is a magnificent city with no lack for things to see and do. If visiting unprepared, it can be overwhelming. So being the kind of guy who wants to be prepared for anything, I made a very detailed schedule for our first visit. When I say ‘detailed’, I mean down to the minute. How else can you see the Tower of London, British Museum, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and the National Gallery all in one day? That’s a lot to do and only a detailed plan can make sure it all happens.

The first thing you realize when trying to stick to a very full schedule is that other people may not want to cooperate. Sure, my fiancée was playing along, but the Londoners operating the Underground (their version of our subways), serving tea, and guiding the site tours just wouldn’t keep to my strategically created schedule. I even suspected my fiancée was an accomplice to their desire to subvert my plans. However, despite their best effort, they couldn’t break my resolve and by the end of the day we accomplished my mission of visiting each place on the list. We could leave the city saying that we had been to all the places you associate with London.

You may be thinking, “Sure, you accomplished your objective, but did you really enjoy the experience?” The answer would have to be ‘no.’ And worse, those around me didn’t enjoy it either. Sadly, I hardly remember any of those places on that trip. I was driven by the importance of being able to say I had visited those places.

My mad tourist dash seems silly, yet how many times have we done the same thing in our careers. So many of us race from task to task, project to project, and job to job. Perhaps we do this so we can check them off our strategically created career plans. Or maybe we become seduced by the thought that the next thing ahead is better than what we have right now. Ultimately, we find ourselves trapped by the notion that the destination becomes far more important than the journey itself and we lose ourselves in the process.

So, what can we do?

Find out by visiting Career Hub…

As a kid, I remember being enchanted by the Swiss Family Treehouse located in Adventureland. What young boy wouldn’t want to live in a huge treehouse? Now, as an adult, I tried to relive that magic, but it was strange. The whole experience was just climbing steps to the top and seeing the Robinson’s sleeping quarters, a dining room, and a sitting room. I kept wondering if that was all there was. And for me, that was really all there was.

This morning, my wife got an email from a friend of hers who lives with multiple sclerosis. In their communication, Caroline mentioned that we climbed the Swiss Family Treehouse and her friend offered a whole new perspective on this place in the Magic Kingdom. Turns out that she was told she couldn’t climb the treehouse due to her condition. She laughed and replied that that was all she needed to hear. She got out of her wheelchair, slowly climbed to the top, took a few minutes to savor her personal victory, and then slowly descended to the bottom.

I can’t help but see that treehouse in a whole new light.

So, here I am…new work, new home, new commitment to living completely. All that includes a renewed sense of purpose for Bailey WorkPlay and The Alchemy of Soulful Work starting with a site redesign. If you’re reading from Bloglines or another rss reader, come and take a look (c’mon, click here…I didn’t do all that work for nothing). In addition to what’s already there, I’ll be adding in some cool functionality that should add to the reading experience.

Friends and readers, sorry I’ve been gone for so long…it’s good to be back. Again, we all take this journey together. Let’s be the heroes and heroines of our adventures.

This belief has occupied my mind these past few weeks. In this short span of time, we managed to get our current house under contract and have an offer accepted on our top home in Austin, TX. So, as of August 1, we will be official Texans and Austinites.

Yet, even though most of these things easily fell into place, we did (and still do) experience some nail-biting and gut-wrenching episodes surrounding financing and repairs on our present home. I must admit that there have been more than a few times when my wife and I looked back on our decision to move and asked whether it was the right decision. Was our determination to move to another state 1500 miles away justified? Or was it a semi-delusional dream for new adventure and a better way of life? Of course, these are the questions we ask in our darker hours…but, when we reenter the light we know that this is the right path and that Austin has always been preparing to accept us. In the end, we recognize that these past few months have been an exercise in faith.

Still, it’s almost impossible to not obsess over all the details and the potential areas where things could go wrong. Fortunately, I received a trackback from Halina Goldstein who writes a blog called The Inner Travel Journal. Wandering through her blog, I discovered a post called Obsessions that really spoke to me. She writes of how we neglect the present by overfocusing on the past and the future:

Each moment is potentially exploding with energy, creativity and significance. Exactly how this I cannot say — but I know that it’s true. And the more I’m willing to let go of empty thoughts about something in the future that may or may not come true (and they will never come true exactly as I’ve imagined them anyhow), the more I’m willing to simply RESPECT THIS VERY MOMENT, NOW, the more I will enjoy my journey.

It’s a beautifully stated reminder for us to slow down, breathe, and get present. After all, that’s all we really have that’s real.

To the other end of the spectrum lies a few folks who tend to believe that we must be running away from something. Else, why would we take such a grand leap? Perhaps I’m running from a job that’s lost its meaning…or we’re running from a place where we’ve lost a sense of community…or perhaps we’re just running away to be running. Any way you slice it this perspective evokes a sense of fear; like being in a low-budget horror movie, running from the demonic dog or masked killer who can never die.

But, throughout this unfolding adventure, I’m coming to a different space where I ask, “What if we’re running toward something?” Running from the monster is just running in any direction to get away from the beast (though it usually involves long, dark hallways). I feel we’re actually focused and running toward a richer, more soulful life. There is a lot of hopefulness in our decision and it’s that sense of hope that guides us through the inevitable turbulence.

Our decision is to make a radical change in where we call home. But the concept of running toward can apply in several other choices – some of which are more of the everyday, garden-variety types. So, how do you know if you’re running away or running toward? Take some time to reflect on these questions:

Which is more painful for me…staying the same or making a change?
Some folks are motivated by pain, some by pleasure. Let’s face it, though…most individuals view change as pain, loss, or a combination of both. If you’re stuck in a rut, it’s the fear of change because of pain that’s keeping you there. So, ask whether staying in the rut is worth all the trouble. If you’re hesitant to face a possible conflict with a co-worker or supervisor, where’s the fear/pain coming from? Instead of running from the possibility of conflict, ask whether it’s possible to run toward the improved relationship or the learning of how to communicate more effectively. Which leads to another question…

Will I learn anything about myself (or others) through this decision?
Running away from a toxic work environment or a bad personal relationship may be the right move in the short-term, but without taking the time for sufficient self-reflection you might just land in the same spot again later on. Running toward something better means you have the insight and personal understanding to run in the most appropriate direction. Which leads to yet another question…

Do I have a purpose for tomorrow?
Running toward is all about moving in the direction of a greater purpose. It means putting in the time, energy, and discipline to figure out what needs to happen in order to make that purpose a reality. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to have it all planned and mapped out. Hell, if that was the case, no one would have ever took to the seas to explore new worlds, no one would have had the courage to scale Everest, and no one would have taken great leaps of faith to find their life’s calling.

If you find yourself wondering if you’re running away from a problem or a place, reflect on some of these questions. Explore whether there is hope or fear in your heart. And don’t worry if you’re not able to take a great leap at first. Aim to take just a small risk. Over time, your confidence will grow and so will the boldness of your actions. Just remember to run toward.

I guess you could say that this was a long time coming, really. Caroline and I have been talking for a while about getting out and finding new adventure somewhere else. We both had a feeling that we were getting stuck here and falling into complacency with surroundings and a lifestyle that didn’t light our fire. We considered places like Minneapolis, Charlotte, Seattle…even Toronto. What we were searching for was a slower pace of life, friendliness of neighbors, lots of culture and character, and a place where we could enjoy the outdoors. It seems like we found these qualities in Austin.

And with any adventure, there’s some risk involved (or else it wouldn’t actually be an adventure, eh?). Neither of us have work waiting for us which is a slightly scary prospect for someone who knows how hard it can be to be jobless. To tackle that problem, I’m making a couple of recon trips to meet with potential employers. My first will be next week (May 10 – 14) so if you’re in the area and would like to meet, let me know.

Right now, the plan is to sell our house so we’re busy it ready to market. This is a lot of work and fortunately we’ve found lots of folks to help. We hired a professional organizer to help us pack up our non-essential items and get rid of our clutter. We hired a painter to redo all the interior walls. And we’re considering whether to lay new carpet or not. Last weekend, I spent a great deal of time on the outside of the house and in the yard. This weekend, I anticipate doing some more yardwork and sprucing up some tired looking shrubbery.

I continue to have great visions for Bailey WorkPlay and the Alchemy of Soulful Work. I hope you’ll continue to check in and follow along as we intrepid pioneers hitch up our wagon and migrate to the Texas Hill Country. If there’s one thing I can share as I look forward to this next chapter in life, it’s that life is far too short and precious to wait around. I know I don’t want this to describe me:
“Most people would rather be certain they’re miserable, than risk being happy.”
-Robert Anthony