It’s ingrained in each of our souls. We long for it, but sometimes we forget about it. We all have natural whimsical and adventurous sides within us waiting to come out. It’s the times when you feel fully alive, fully aware of the mass of possibilities while being keenly in touch with a sense of gratefulness. Many times the routine, sometimes monotonous way of life, just gets in the way. Not that those things are bad in any way, it’s just that our routines often don’t include moments of whimsy and adventure unless, we consciously allow it to flow out. As we enter into the glorious summer months of longer days and warmer weather, let’s begin to give permission to our souls to be frequently random, spontaneous, whimsical, and adventurous.

Now, let’s move into the part of doing rather than just talking. Here are five ways how we at The Authenticity Project hope to ignite the adventurous spirit within each of us. We invite you to join us and share ways that you have done the same!

1. Play around with colors - splash some color onto a canvas and play, don’t worry about the overall image. Repaint some of the things around the house. The brighter the better. What colors make you happy?

2. Wake up a little earlier or go right before dinner and run/walk outside. Just head out the door and go explore your neighborhood without worrying about the route you will go. If it’s a warmer day, run through any sprinklers you come across. You might be surprised to see some interesting homes or a tiny park you have never seen. If you come across an open grassy park, run on the grass and maybe throw in a cartwheel, just because. Getting this little extra time outside in nature will grow your appreciation for the subtle, yet beautiful things. Being outside will also leave you feeling invigorated and with a little extra energy.

3. One word, four letters…pick up a BIKE and just go. You can always find parking and you can get around traffic. You might even feel like you’re flying, let alone not adding to carbon emissions by using human power to get around.

4. Look up what events are happening in your city. Try looking at the poster board at the local coffee shop, in the local newspaper, or on Facebook. Pick a random event and attend! You might be splendidly surprised or just have a fun experience to tell people about.

5. Go on a weekend or a week-long road trip adventure to somewhere new and just go EXPLORE. Let go of any expectations you might have before leaving home, you might be blown away by what you find.

Let’s not save this for another day, another day might never happen. Why not start right now?

Stephanie Zeller is the Community Director for The Authenticity Project, you can contact Steph at TheAuthenticityProject@gmail.com.