Home At Last

I love to travel...that's no secret. Traveling can be difficult, but manageable if you're an introvert...and if you've been following this blog, that's no secret. I have overcome some significant blocks to living the traveling life I love and over the course of time I will share the in's and out's of my journey on this blog.

But for now, coming home is an adventure in and of itself. I'm enjoying getting back to the routines I had forgotten I had. I awoke at sunrise to my first view of the Rock in two weeks...I had a cup my yummy French Press coffee (Turkish blend brought back from NY)...My bed and bathtub felt special and new to me last night...My beloved laptop that works with lightening speed is a wonderful reconnection (hello old friend).

So good to be home, but I must admit, I'm already wondering what my next adventure will be. I need to stay in and around California until after the holidays, but I'm so centrally located that just about anywhere is possible...any suggestions? Would love to hear from you.
 
Zan Packard - The Adventrous Introvert

Homeward Bound (For a While!)

I am not ready to leave New York and all the exciting adventures it offers, but I am so ready to be home! Don’t know if that makes sense or not, but there it is in a nutshell.


I am, however, thinking about my next adventure. I’m so into foods, that I am currently thinking along the lines of what flavors I’m hungry for. L.A. certainly has Olvera Street and all it’s wonderful Mexican cuisine, but San Francisco has the eastern palates…Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese etc., then again, there’s Seattle and all its wonderful fish and fusion….not sure what my next adventure will be...but isn’t that an adventure in itself?

What's In Your Rulebook?

As we grow up, in order to make sense of our world we develop rules about life. For most of us, our rules were created by our three-year-old self, or our five-year-old self, etc., and we’ve toted these rules diligently into adulthood, sometimes unrevised. Really? Maybe that's why so many adults seem so childish at times (lol). Are you still living your life according to your three-year-old self?
If you're an introvert, it's a good bet that you've created a lot of rules about life...introverts really love to figure things out and will spend time going deeper within to come up with answers...but think about it: how much information does a three-year-old have to begin with?

Is it time to review your rulebook? Which of your rules work in your favor and which rules limit you? It’s your life…today is the first day of the rest of your life. Make sure you are armed with the current rule book that speaks to who you are today.

From The Adventurous Introvert....challenging and revising my rules each day as I learn to explore and step into the  life of my dreams.

No Guilt For Me!

I received an email from a friend that has been following my New York adventure. The comment was something like "Go for it, you can always sleep when you get home". Hah, spoken like a true extrovert.

Made me a happy to be in charge of my own energy. That is precisely the attitude that I used to buy in to when I traveled. After all, traveling is a once in a life time experience, how can you justify not getting the most from the opportunity?

What I would find, in the past, was that over time I would become so depleted that I enjoyed very little of what I was doing and seeing. Extroverts can manage their energy in this environment...after all, they get their energy from people. But an introvert simply must recharge by spending time alone, in their mind.

It's hard to say no to all the activites that can come with traveling, but by saying no at the right time, I'm able to, not only do more, but enjoy all that I am doing. This adventure has been managed according to my energy...and I am enjoying all that comes my way. For once, I have no guilt about taking what I need from the experience.

I am an introvert...it is an innate trait. I have learned to manage my needs so that I can embrace life to its fullest-on my terms, even if that means withdrawing for a moment to catch my breath.

The Great Equalizer

When I travel, I’m a foodie. It’s the great equalizer…everyone eats; everyone has their favorite food; and everyone seems to have a great story to tell about a food adventure. If you’re traveling alone somewhere, just ask a stranger about where to find great food: Nine times out of ten you’ll get a passionate response.

I’ll bet you’ve even told a great story about food too. Think about any place you’ve visited (so nice to be inside your head for a moment, isn’t it?). Chances are you have a food association with it. Chances are the memory gives you great pleasure-even if the food experience was bad.

Food is primal. It connects us to our fellow human beings. It’s the great equalizer and can generate easy conversation and not once venture into small talk…you know how much we hate small talk.

My challenge to you is to pretend you are new to town. Approach a stranger (be wise) and ask them where you can find your favorite type of food. Hint: asking someone in the grocery isle of your favorite food is a sure bet—if someone cooks it, they probably know where you can find it dining out too. That could be a very energetic exchange for the introvert for a couple of reasons. One, it’s information exchange and two, you are tapping into someone’s positive energy flow which will likely increase yours as well. Could be a great adventure…From The Adventurous Introvert, Bon Appétit.

The Energy Game

Sitting on the edge of the sidewalk in The Village, he painted on vinyl LPs. Painted horrible, twisted images. I watched him work as his head bounced to the music coming from the boom box sitting near his elbow. People walked by, some slowing to look, but most pointedly looking away. He did not notice them. But as I passed, be looked up from his work and made eye contact. I don’t know what it meant, but it made me think. It made me wonder about this young man and the horrible images that he called art. I enjoyed that moment immensely. That’s what I love about people—watching them, looking for a glimpse inside their minds to understand them. I love people, just not necessarily interacting with them.

I know that extroverts get their energy from interaction, but as an introvert, interaction saps my energy. But the joy of being in the middle of a place like a busy city sidewalk is truly enjoyable. Interaction is not expected, nor even desired. I suppose that it is being able to watch and wonder about what you’re seeing that amuses me. I can’t help but go off on an imaginative trek when I see an unusual person. The beauty is I can spend as much time with them – in my mind – that I want without the concern of actual interaction. Spending time in ones mind is energizing isn’t it?

So, dear introverts, my challenge to you is to sit and people watch for a moment. When you spy an intriguing character, let your imagination go wild as you create their reality. Why are they there? What is on their mind? What are their plans for the day? Go as tame or as bizarre as you’d like…it’s your energy game, and you’ll find it’s a bit recharging for you as well.

The Balancing Act

I hit a wall today. I craved a slower pace, less food and much more solitude. Not because I don’t enjoy the people and activities, but because I haven’t had enough time inside my own head with my own thoughts…an introvert’s necessity. With so much to see and do, it’s hard to resist the urge to cram it all in and just go non-stop.

And I almost fell for it. But I know what will happen if I do. If I don’t listen to my body’s request to recharge, I will soon become the irritable and unapproachable lady hanging back on the fringes of activity, or (even worse) I will succumb to catching a cold—talk about enforced R and R!

Since I’m not here to hang back from the whirlwind of activity, nor to be sick, I wisely took an afternoon for myself…I went outside and absorbed the sun’s warmth on my skin, drank in the sounds of the birds busily competing for crumbs and just soaked in the quiet, rejuvenating energy of this beautiful area.

No, I’m not in the city…and thus recharging came easier for me here. However, curiosity leads me to imagine myself in the middle of Greenwich Village. Could I find a way to recharge amid the onslaught of the big-city energy? Yes, I think so. Any time I can spend time inside my own head to think my own thoughts without interruption is a time I am recharging.

Recharging for introverts means going within…often time solitude assists that process, but we can go within under just about any circumstances. It’s best to find a place to sit with perhaps an interesting book to read, definitely a cup of tea…all those nurturing little things that facilitate the recharging process. For me, today, I needed a minor recharge which I choose to do now, rather than let my batteries deplete completely. I have had a wonderful day filled with introspection and I am truly ready to get back out into the excitement of new sights, sounds, smells and tastes…another day of excitement is waiting for this Adventurous Introvert.

Powerball Anyone?

I bought a Powerball ticket today. The highway billboard said it was up to $80 million, and I realized that you can't win if you don't play...kind of like life isn't it? It felt good to do something so spontaneous (after all I had to exit the freeway and buy one in Conneticut before we crossed in to New York state). That simple little action made me think about what I would do if I actually won...now that was a fun adventure, just a one dollar investment gave me the freedom to dream $80 million dollars worth. What adventure have you invested in today?

Day One of My Adventure

Today was a day for exploring various parts of Rye, New York. The air was crisp and the trees were hanging on to their last colorful leaves. The area is beautiful to a nature-lover like me. It is, of course, very different than California, but I couldn't help but notice all the similarities to home and wondered why that seemed significant to me.  I certainly loved the similarities (maybe my introvert's need for my comfort zone?), but I think I'll try and look at the area with an eye to the differences and see how that feels.

It's good to be aware of how we are viewing our lives...what filters we are using, and since this trip is specifically all about adventure, I'm very in tune with my thoughts and feelings. So tomorrow I will continue my exploration and shift my attention to the differences...wonder how the day will unfold?

Similarities or differences, I am totally aware of being fully alive, and that is the adventure I came for.

12 Hours To Take Off

I'm pretty excited. In a good way, not in an anxious way. I just had a dinner of eggs and toast and green tea. I'm following expert's advice to help lessen the effects of jet lag: keep away from caffiene, alcohol, and salt. Now I'm going to run a nice hot bath and soak to relax and, hopefully, get a good night's sleep-or any sleep at all.

I must admit that I am really surprised at  how ready I feel. All my preplanning on packing and getting the house ready to leave really paid off. My to do list just kept getting shorter and shorter and I am now simply relaxing rather than running around throwing something, anything, into a suitcase. I like this method soooo much better than past trips. I think it's all about understanding my optimum environment and methods and sticking with them. I'm not exhausted before I begin....looking forward to tomorrow morning at 7.

Sunrise Moonset Over the Ocean

What a beautiful sight to wakeup to...

What's In Your Backyard?

On a whim, a friend and I decided to explore my neighborhood...only differently: up the hill rather than down. What I found was an adventure of beauty and inspiration. Minutes from my home was a trail that began in scrub oaks and Pines and continued up a hillside to its very peak. Each switchback offered a view more breathtaking than the last. The top provided a 360 degree view of this amazing central coastline I live in. I couldn't believe that this was the first time I had explored it.

Making that shift from everyday activities to new adventures allowed me to experience a beauty that should never be missed. I wondered how many of us go about our days doing what we always do and therefore missing out on something special?
What's in your backyard that you haven't given attention to? A new nook or corner? A new way of doing the same-ole-things? A new 'lens' with which to view your world? Adventure is an attitude. It requires little time or money...it's all in how you look at the world. What can you do today, right now, that would take you out of the ordinary and into the adventurous new? What are you waiting for, it's your life, live it now!