When it comes to adventures, I’m comfortable saying that we’re pretty highly qualified as a group. From dancing to hiking, kayaking to knitting, climbing mountains to baking cakes – we’ve got a lot of areas covered in the adventure department!
We had a post from one of our members this week who said she had been taking part in some of her own little adventures with her kids in the form of some wild swimming and stand-up paddle boarding. Jane shared that one of her memorable conversations from last year’s Yestival was based around the thought that our adventures are what we perceive them to be, which I entirely agree with and think is very important. Jane explained;
“Your adventures don’t have to be huge or outrageous to be life affirming”
We should all remember this whenever we have those little self-doubting thoughts that make us feel like what we are doing is not as great as what someone else is doing – some people need to climb mountains, some people just need to feel the grass under their feet, but whatever gives you that sense of excitement or makes you feel alive, it doesn’t matter what it is – it matters what it does for you.
Daylight robbery
This week saw the summer solstice, and a few of you captured some beautiful photos. The sun has a way of creating some of the most beautiful views, right? One of our members, Helen, managed to get herself up at 4am to greet the rising sun on the day of the summer solstice – that’s dedication in its finest form! And what a beautiful reward she got for her effort.
Sunrise
The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year, which means we get the most daylight before the days start getting shorter again. We all love the sunshine and I think many people feel like the day is over when the sun has gone down but, as the saying goes, life is what you make it.
I have had to remind myself many times that the day isn’t over when it gets dark. Sometimes I feel like this because I want to enjoy being outdoors in the daylight as long as I can, and when it gets dark I feel like a kid who has been told to come indoors by my mum! I sulk, basically (I hope this isn’t just me..!). However, when I change my mindset, I can enjoy the darker evenings.
I can enjoy being more productive with other things indoors without the distraction of the outdoors pulling me away! Or even better – I can ‘allow’ myself an early night and therefore an early morning.
Now I am also not the best early morning person…not because I’m grumpy or lazy – I just struggle to get up, but some of the best mornings I’ve had are from being awake early! The air, the light, the birds, the sounds – it’s all so different first thing in the morning when most of the world is still asleep. Dawn has this magical power of creating a ‘morning world’, which fades as the rest of the world eventually wakes up.
So instead of being sad about shorter days (which aren’t actually shorter…mind-blowing!), think of what you could do to make the most of them. If you need ideas, you know who to ask…
Good things
In a world where there is so much bad news on TV and so much negativity in the media, we need people like Jordan. Jordan posted in the YesTribe this week to say that he planned to walk for peace in several countries, in an attempt to prove to himself and the world that;
“Outside of the news, the world is full of wonderful people who are just doing their best”
What a beautiful sentiment to have, but someone told Jordan that his dream of a better world would never happen.
Maybe that person is a realist, but I think it is an admirable trait to be a person of hope and someone who sees the good in the world.
His post spoke to me in many ways, and I felt for Jordan who seemed to want to prove to the world that it’s a beautiful place outside of all the negative media that we are constantly fed. Now I don’t think anyone wishing for world peace is expecting perfection or a miracle, but just that more people spread happiness and love than they do hate or negativity.
The truth is, the world is a better place than it would be without people like Jordan. It all makes for a better world to spread happiness, find the good in people, and encourage peace and kindness, and I believe Jordan is in just the right place in our tribe, where he can find that goodness he seeks in thousands of YesTribers who feel just the same.