Join us each and every Monday for a strong cup of inspiration, Soul Coffee is a collection of stories, thoughts, questions and images to help you kick off the week with a bit of hope and encouragement.
We have been a little MIA in the past few months, and since our posted articles tapered off to less than a trickle, we thought it was definitely time for an update! Recently, life has been quite a ride for The Authenticity Project team, and we wanted to take a few minutes to share what we have been up to and hopefully kick a little challenge out to you.
I wake up to the annoying ring of my Panasonic alarm clock and reach over to slam it down in hopes of making the pain in my ears stop. After mustering up the energy and willpower to crawl out of bed, I head to the shower where I slather with Old Spice body wash and wash my hair with Suave shampoo. Immediately after my shower I brush my teeth with Crest toothpaste and an Oral B toothbrush.
Each one of these questions are the obligation of the unaffected, those of us who have had the fortune to simply watch the tragedies unfold on a screen, we owe it to those victims and heroes to involve ourselves in their pain by asking these questions.
We are so consumed with the ‘next step’, the ‘new adventure’ that we become side-tracked and all of a sudden the “ordinary days” become “less than”. Just check your Facebook feed where many tout the awesome adventures they are on and even some talented friends can make the simple routines seem extraordinary with witty words and 70’s tinted photos. And soon our ordinary days seem paler, less-worthy in some way.
Adventure...something about this word. You hear it and you have to admit there is a little jump in that soul of yours, because we all yearn for grand adventures we have stashed in the back of our heart. I would say we are even born with that call for adventure, the call for more than the basic story.
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.
Growing up on a steady diet of Star Wars movies and comic books, from a very early age I have always craved excitement and adventure even though that wise, backward talking Yoda made it very clear that… “A Jedi craves not these things.”
First off, I would like to apologize for the gloomy story ahead, however it is something that I feel describes what has been going through my head the past few days in a meaningful way.
Adventure.
Most people swoon at the word.
But I tend to bury myself back in the book I was reading to avoid that conversation. Phew, that was close.
I am not one to get excited about change or leap before I look or just be plain impulsive. I don’t long for the new, the wild, the unknown. I am quite cozy with the familiar, the comfortable.
But, I have to admit, adventure is good for you. Taking risks is a good thing when they launch you forward in a positive momentum. It doesn’t work out every time, but somehow that’s always turned out ok.
And while staying home has its season too, don’t pass up an adventure. Don’t stop dreaming of new adventures. And when you're on the cusp of taking that first step and feel so pulled to stay right where you are because it would just be easier, simpler, less terrifying. Don’t do it. Take that step on the adventure you know you’re being called to – large or small. Signing up for that pottery class you've always been interested in or picking up and moving to a brand new place because you know you can’t stay where you are and thrive.
This weekend is a small example of my internal struggle with greeting adventure excitedly: my husband and I were to attend a charity walk at a park neither of us had been to before. I was resisting going because of the hassle to get there – hey we’d already paid our money, did we really have to walk? This sounds ridiculous, but there were a few factors that day. It was 80 degrees in Seattle without a cloud in the sky and on a normal [cloudy] day, navigating through the narrow, fast-paced streets of this city is stressful. Then, close the major on-ramp to the interstate closest to us which means we’re re-routed downtown with the entire population of the city and then some outside, or in their cars attempting to get somewhere to be outside also navigating the closure made me want to hide under my bed and never come out.
Luckily, my husband is adventurous and practical. We were going.
And after a few detours, a lot of traffic, and getting lost we turned the bend into the park and were met with this wonder, this moment of awe, this moment of: I can't believe I was going to miss this for a little convenience:
We were also met by an excited friend that was grateful we were supporting her event, a wonderful walk in the beautiful weather, learning how water tanks are saving people’s lives and the discovery of an amazing oasis we didn’t even know existed.
-Jennifer Anderson is Content Director of The Authenticity Project, you can contact Jennifer at TheAuthenticityProject@gmail.com
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As Spring is handing its reins over to Summer, we at The Authenticity Project are feeling nourished and filled with anticipation to launch into the adventures that are starting to beckon our souls like the warm breeze that begins to punctuate our days. Spring is a time where the dead yellow grass begins to transform into a vibrant abundance of beautiful growth. Through persistent and intentional sowing, planting, nourishing, and cultivating of our hearts and souls, we can now trust this new growth that is slowly developing deep roots anchored to courage, goodness, and hope.
Image found here.
Throughout the month of May we will be dreaming, launching, and following the little and big adventures calling us to view the world from a lens of possibility, wonder, and whimsy. The possibility that this world can look different and be a place where we each know our intrinsic value, and in turn, love others and ourselves enough to step out and try the impossible. As Bob Goff said: “Living a life fully engaged and full of whimsy and the kind of things that love does is something most people plan to do, but along the way they just kind of forget. Their dreams become one of those ‘we'll go there next time’ deferrals. The sad thing is, for many there is no ‘next time’ because passing on the chance to cross over is an overall attitude toward life rather than a single decision.”
This May and glorious summer season let’s take steps together towards living a life fully engaged and bursting with whimsy and wonder. Will you step out and listen to the little and big adventures beckoning your soul?
Stephanie Zeller is the Community Director for The Authenticity Project, you can contact Steph at TheAuthenticityProject@gmail.com.
