So half way through this year I will be travelling to Spain to partake in the pilgrimage that is the El Camino De Santiago. This trip will officially be my first trip away from my home country. It shall be my first time off this hot little (it’s not really that little, that’s what she said) Australian rock and into the world unknown. A chance to experience new things, meet new people, and acquire a new set of eyes that will change the way I see myself and the world. Shakespeare would have trouble describing my excitement.
“Doth ones excitement appear to be inspiring the ascension of the front of thou’s trouserpants?”
I didn’t really make a resolution this year as I do not strongly believe in them, but I do believe in changes of attitude. This year’s attitude will be characterised by adventuring into unknown and being open to new experiences. This is a complete contrast to my regular attitude of being content where I am and being content on what I know. Adventuring into the unknown is more than just physically taking myself to places I never been. For me it is about leaving my mental and emotional comfort zone. What lies beyond my comfort zone is unknown and I believe that it is that unknown territory to be where real life and adventure lies. I won’t experience what life has to offer sitting in a four walled room, staring at a screen all day, and neither will you. Life and experience is out there and I’m missing out on it, but not tomorrow!
Here is a highly structured and accurate manuscript of the in depth back and forth debate my friend and myself had two days ago:
“Let’s go on a trip!”
“Ok!”
Sometimes it can be as easy as that. Tomorrow I’m doing just that. A whole days worth of driving for two days in a foreign city. Who knows what kind of mischief, trouble and adventure I will get into? Who knows the kinds of people I will meet, or the experiences that I will experience? Who knows what kind of attitude or ideas I’ll leave the city with? Who knows the great or terrible stories I will have to tell at the dinner table? Definitely not me, and I’m excited about that.
“And then I rode a dragon to the moon, and because my dragon was hungry for some cheese it took a bite out of the moon. True story!”
I can visualise people saying they just don’t have the time, and this could very well be true if you are thinking of a big trip that you are unable to commit to right now. But a trip doesn’t have to be this big, long, glamorous journey that can only be experienced by first hopping into the stomach walls of an iron bird. It can be a half a day drive somewhere you haven’t been. It can be a couple hours. It can be couple minutes. There is no set time, nor is the length of time that important. What is more important is the action of getting out of the house, having a big, medium or small break and just going somewhere else. Physically taking your body out of a place of routine and familiarity, and putting it somewhere else for a little while. Exposing it to the elements for that brief moment. If there is someone who you would like to roll in the experience with, grab them. And even if there is no one to hit it up with you, talk to yourself out loud and repeat the following or something similar:
“Let’s go on a trip, to our back yard.”
“Let’s go on a trip, to that park down the road that we have never been to.”
“Let’s go on a trip, via shanks’ pony (Scottish colloquial meaning transport via ones legs/feet) around ye olde block or yonder.”
“That’s the shanks’ pony spirit guys!”
Any of those three trips would suffice. Just getting out and going somewhere you haven’t been, or haven’t been to in a while. Great old memories might resurface and new ones may be born. You may see something you had not seen before. You may think of things you have never thought before. The world might provide you with an idea, or inspiration that you have never had before. Look out your window, and go there. Walk to the park. Walk in the street. Walk in your backyard. Look around at the world around you. Notice things. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. Smell the fragrances and odours around you. Touch things. Take pictures of things. Record things, ideas, thoughts, observations. If you’re at work, at a desk right now (firstly, I am honoured that are choosing to read this during work hours) perhaps stand up and walk up and down the case of stairs once. Maybe ride the elevator to the top level, and down to the bottom level. Have that little trip. Who knows what happens?
Remember, a trip can be anywhere, even as far a distance as your backyard or veranda. Treat your trip as a holiday and do what most do on their holidays; absolutely nothing. People often take trips to get away from the normal responsibilities they have in life, if even for that brief moment. They take trips to relax. Treat your small trips the same way, and do nothing for a little while. Take the time to breathe, and slow down and see a new world through new eyes.
Catch you all later with my new eyes.
Now go treat yourself to a trip.
– Sash
Sash Mindflow 