Why to Take an Offline, Off-Road Trip This Summer (+ 200th Post Round-up!)

 

Are you taking enough time to recover and recharge?

Regular recovery, on the micro-, mid-, and macro-levels, can often do the work of psychiatric medicine, only naturally.

~ Tal Ben-Shahar, The Pursuit of Perfect

 

I talked about this last year when I was planning my Epic Road Trip. Here’s the quote again from Tal:

“First, we’ve gotta realize that we’re not robots/machines. And, if we were, we’d be the kind of machines that needed a 15 minute break every hour or two (micro-level recovery), a seven to nine hour break every day + one day off per week (mid-level recovery) and a two to four week break every year (macro-level recovery)! “

 

That trip last year was easily one of the best things I ever did: I had one helluva time and I felt so refreshed and energized at the end. I’m definitely planning another offline trip this year!

Now I know taking two straight weeks off isn’t possible for everyone, but what about one week or even 3-4 days? Extend a long weekend into a longer one! :)

In addition to recharging your batteries, here are 5 reasons an offline and off-road trip can enhance your life!

 

 

1) You’ll Build + Develop Your Skills

Chances are, when you’re out in the wild, you’re going to do something that is either new to you, or will allow you to deepen your knowledge of that activity.

It might be camping, fishing, rock climbing, cooking, or photography.

Embrace the opportunity to learn and grow with reckless abandon!

There are no deadlines and no bosses: just you and your ability—GO! :)

 

 

2) You’ll Learn What’s Important to You

Without the distraction of society, you’ll have time to think and just let your mind wander.

Zero in on the qualities that you are seeking in and for your life. Compassion, positivity, gratitude, happiness, kindness?

What kind of a contribution do you want to make—to yourself, your family, your community, and the world?

Here are a few more power questions:

• What does happiness mean to you? Success?
• Who are the most important people to you? Why?
• Who are your heroes? Why—and how are you like them?
• If you had all the time and the money in the world, what would you do?
• How can you get paid to do what you love to do?
• What five things are you most proud of? What five things WILL you be most proud of?
• What does your ideal day look like? What do you do? With whom? For whom?
• What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
• If you were guaranteed to succeed, what’s the #1 thing you’d do?

Totally OK to bring a journal along for the ride—no tablets or laptops, though! ;)

 

OR—just sit and NOT think. Absorb your surroundings, nature, the wind, the sounds—and breathe. No need to figure it out; take it in and enjoy. You’ll learn plenty that way, too! :)

 

 

3) You’ll Have Genuine Interactions

It might be people you’re traveling with, or people you meet along the way, but since you won’t be staring into your phone, you’ll have the opportunity to really engage with someone else.

No calls, no texts, no dinner reservations to distract you.

Experience what it’s like to really connect with another person, and how it feels to share information and deepen a relationship.

This kind of depth can’t be achieved with emails or Skype. Nothing will ever replace being in the same space as another person, where you each experience the other’s energy. It’s powerful, and very fun!

 

 

4) You Won’t Miss the Internet, Facebook, Twitter…

I know this sounds crazy, but it’s true.

If you get outside and find activities you truly enjoy, running back in to check your email or the latest scores will soon sound ludicrous, and become a distant memory.

It suddenly won’t seem so important which celebrity is doing what, who tweeted to whom, what blog post just landed in your Inbox, or if the scores updated in the last 45 seconds.

Because, well…those things really aren’t that important.

Most likely, the outcome of any of those events really won’t impact your life—at all. On a higher level, it doesn’t affect your day-to-day living. I’m not saying it’s not worth it to enjoy these things, but it’s easy to get so wrapped up in all this stuff.

Focusing on your own development, your happiness, and your contribution—that’s what will set you soaring, and what you’ll truly miss if you neglect it.

 

 

5) It Will Change Your Life

Maybe you’ll finally have that “a-ha” moment—with your creative work, in business, or with a relationship.

Maybe you’ll have an amazing and mind-blowing conversation.

Maybe you’ll realize the work you want to do, or where you to visit or live, or what you truly want to create in your life.

Or maybe, just maybe, you’ll have memories that will last a lifetime…

 

If you want to read about 15 more reasons why, check out Part I and Part II of what I learned from my 3200-mile solo road trip in the PacNW.

So where ya gonna go? :)

 

200 Posts!

Wow, 200. Very cool. Of course when I started all of this in February 2010, I had no idea my life would change so dramatically (full-time travel) and that I’d still be blogging.

I was acting, I had just been cast in a big regional theatre, and I got to travel. I knew there was something to chronicle. So thrilled I started, and that I kept it up.

The Good News!

After 28 months and 200 posts, Nonstop Awesomeness is far from slowing down. I have at least another 50+ articles in mind to share, and I know that will only expand as I keep going.

A Peek Into the Future…

Look for more videos, interviews, recipes, photos and FUN!! :)

200 Post Round-Up

If you’re new to the site, or haven’t checked out everything, here’s a quick list of my “top 10 20 22″ favorites from the first 200!

1. The Beginning: 2/15/10
   • The first post, where it all began. I can’t believe I had/needed all that STUFF!! :)
2. Friday Night Epiphany: 6/12/10
   • The realization that I wanted to BE out in the world and experiencing it. I was getting close to the next step…
3. House & Dogsitting in Glendale: 7/12/10
   • Making the decision to move out of Los Angeles, after 11 years.
4. Why it’s time to leave…: 9/9/10
   • My (first) opus on everything behind my decision to completely uproot my life.
5. Ok – here’s some Hawaii sun & fun!: 11/12/10
   • A bit of fun on da Big Island (and a tour!), what my day looks like, and pictures!
6. Quality Time with… John, Ep. #1: 1/6/11
   • The first episode of the series! So awesome that it’s with such an amazing friend (who I had really just met!) and who’s become an even bigger part of my life at en*theos!!
7. The Galloping Gourmet is Safe…: 2/22/11
   • I’ve recently entered into quite a creative culinary phase in my life. It hasn’t always been this way… :)
8. Funky Fundamentals with Jacob!: 3/1/11
   • What was our six-hour morning routine? And what did we drink?? Find it all out here!
9. How I Will Change the World: 3/22/11
   • My vision, and my part in it all.
10. Did I mention I have no clue what I’m doing?: 5/3/11
    • Going on a trip is awesome! And then you realize there’s work to be done…and you don’t have the answers.
11. What I Learned from Meeting Chuck Woolery and Winning $5000: 5/17/11
    • Yes, you read that right. Watch and enjoy.
12. Guidelines On Board (or, 11 Awesome Principles to Live By) + silly video!: 7/5/11
    • Kind of like a mission statement, for those curious about what NA is all about!
13. What You Can Learn from Watching Me Fall 13,000 feet!: 7/19/11
    • I did it. I jumped from a perfectly good airplane. Check it out, all set to “Driver’s Seat.”
14. Monthly Practice Report – August 2011: 9/13/11
    • I took a two-week road trip and recorded what I did just to see if I could pull off healthy living. Those notes turned into a monstrous first report, and an ongoing series!
15. My New Gig: Going Back to School (Sorta) + How You Can Too!: 9/20/11
    • One of the coolest things that’s happened is getting PAID to do what I love—learn awesome wisdom and share that with others. Another mini-manifesto from September (I guess that’s my month…).
16. 7 Destructive Thoughts and Fears That Continue to Pull Me Down: 11/22/11
    • It’s not all cupcakes and pies (or rather, dates and Nutella)—here are things I still wrestle with…and it’s getting better! Very open and raw post, I think.
17. You Gotta Have Faith, Faith, Faith…to Travel: 12/20/11
    • People wonder how I do this, how I keep going around, and why others let me into their homes. Here’s why.
18. The Passing of a Wonderful and Awesome Man…: 12/28/11
    • Jeff is truly unforgettable, and I occasionally can’t believe he’s really gone.
19. 10 Travel Truths We Hold To Be Self-Evident: 3/6/12
    • Getting a bit clearer on the focus of this site (and my life), and here’s my first stab at it!
20. I Was Taken Hostage at the U.S. Capitol: 4/4/12
    • I had a LOT of fun making this video, and I still believe in the message: we need healthier food options!
21. Ep. #30: QTw… Grant Cooper: 5/15/12
    • Amazing that I’ve done 30+ interviews now (including another 20 with the Paradise Lost cast back in the day…)—having even more fun with editing, and really thrilled to share Grant with the world! The singing is still awesome!
22. 3:00 AM, a Journal, and Optimal Living: 6/14/12
    • My most recent manifesto, inspired by a late night/early morning “can’t-sleep” brainstorming session; possibly the clearest I’ve been on where my life is headed!

 

WOW. Very fun to revisit all those posts—what a walk down memory lane. And I’m really proud of having stuck with this and continuing to write (still not in my Zone of Genius ;).

If you’re looking for a serious rabbit hole, many of these posts will link you to others, and there are tools on this page to check out the archives as well—have fun! :)

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Where will you be taking an offline trip? Any other reasons I missed?

I’d love to hear your response + any other thoughts you have below.

 

PS – I’ll be taking a bit of an offline sabbatical myself over the next couple weeks, as I head to Portland for the World Domination Summit, and surrounding craziness.

Not a full-fledged macro-recovery period, but I’ll definitely be off the computer more than on. Of course, there’s July 4th (planning a 25-mile bike ride to the lake!), the conference, a quick trip to Crater Lake, Habitat for Humanity volunteering, and other miscellaneous awesomeness!

You may see a couple things on the site or in your email, but not the usual (of late) amount—so hey, think of this as a digital vacation from me! ;)

 

Looking forward to learning more!

 

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All photos by me or my brother except for two (see note below).