On Building a (Courageous Woman’s) Life: So Many Ideas. So Little Time.

Part Two of a Post on

Exploring the World Outside Your Door

Through DIY Adventures

You’re learning, aren’t you?

And now that you know a little more about your Adventure Type, it’s time to stick your toes in the water, and sample a few things.

After all, the whole point of Building a (Courageous Woman’s) Life is to turn Courage to Confidence. Well, that and the fact that a full life is a fun life. :)

And the absolutely, without a doubt, 100% sure-fire way to build your Confidence is to get out there and try something.

And along the way, learn. Right? Right!

So, let’s look at a few ideas for what you could do.

EXPLORING IDEAS, CHOOSING ACTIVITIES

For starters, consider all the things we’ve done on our Secret Adventures for Courageous Women. If you’re not sure where to start, joining us for a trip is a great option. We do all the research and planning for you, and all you have to do is show up!

Here are just a few of the things we’ve tried so far. (And there’s more in store starting in August!)

Full moon hike Tree-top zip line Scavenger hunt

Flat-water kayaking Camping Hang Gliding

A rowing (sculling) class Wildflower hike Fall colors driving tour

Making apple cider Gun safety class Wine tasting

Painting class Contra-dancing Attending a play

And if that’s not enough to get you going, here are 23 more.

Organic gardening Quilting Hiking, camping, backpacking

Gourmet cooking class Pottery class Refinishing furniture

Scenic drives Knitting Writing poetry, filming artistic videos

Photography Acting in a Play Ballroom dance lessons

Canning vegetables Canoeing Long distance biking

Scrapbooking Various sports Restoring antique clocks and watches

Visiting a museum Community choirs Learning an instrument

Attending a street fair Outdoor concerts Visiting (new to you) national parks

Once you get started, you’ll be surprised at what you can think of, too.

FINDING INFORMATION

Once you choose an activity to try, the next step is to figure out where, how and when you could do a few of those things. Do some research, ask a lot of questions, and you’ll be amazed at what you discover.

Here are five ideas on where to start.

1. Check community papers. In our area, a free weekly paper called the Metro Pulse has an exhaustive community calendar each week that lists everything under the sun happening in our area, from poetry slams to gardening classes. You can find similar calendars on line as well.

Do you have a paper like that near you?

2. Check local schools. Large universities and smaller community colleges sometimes offer non-credit community classes that you can take for serious skill development or just for fun. Lasting any where from a few hours to a few weeks, they’ll cover everything from philosophy to landscaping, from how to start a business to how to speak French.

For that matter, most colleges will allow you to take an actual class just for fun! You “audit” the class, meaning you’ll pay a small fee to attend class, but aren’t required to do any of the work unless you just want to. There’s no grade at the end; you’re just sitting in on the class because you’re interested in the subject. I once took an honest-to-goodness square dancing class at a large university. Just because. It was great!

Do you have a college or university near you?

3. Some businesses that serve your area of interest will provide opportunities for you to dig a little deeper. For example, most outdoor-gear stores in our area offer talks and guides to help you try a stand-up paddle board or plan for a day hike. As Knoxville becomes known for it’s “urban wilderness”, more and more of these opportunities are being offered in our area. Here in East Tennessee, Outdoor Knoxville is an outstanding resource.

Are there similar businesses or recreational “teachers” in your area?

4. Volunteering with a non-profit is one of the EASIEST ways to explore interests, meet like minded people and learn new skills at the same time. Most of them are so glad to have volunteers, they don’t care if you know what you’re doing or not. They’re just happy that you show up. :)

Call your local United Way office, or check their website, for a detailed list of volunteer needs in your area. Most organizations will offer training for newbies. Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross, your local animal shelter, Big Brothers Big Sisters – the list is endless. One of them will touch your heart and add meaning to your days.

Do you have a United Way or similar organization in your community?

5. Taking lessons is one of the best ways to really learn a new skill. Whether you need a personal trainer, a guitar teacher, a firearms instructor, or sky diving lessons, someone out there will be happy to teach you just about anything you want to know.

Is there someone near you who teaches adults to play the fiddle?

Bet there is. :)

So there, now you’ve got more than enough ideas about Places to Go, Things to Do.

Now comes the hard part – Taking ACTION. Doing this. At some point, you actually have to pick up the phone, or your keys, and head out the door for your own DIY Adventure.

I’d love to hear how this is working for you. Does it make sense? How has this been helpful for you so far? And what do you need in order to ACT on your favorite idea?

If there’s any way I can help you figure this out, let me know.

Now – Go TRY Something.

And Enjoy! :))

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Have you HEARD what we’re doing in September?

It’s our first BIG Courageous Women’s ROAD TRIP.

Registrations are coming in, new flip flops are being bought.

And I’d love to travel with YOU.

Click HERE to learn more.

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COURAGE to #22828 on your phone!

_{Photo Credits: by Robert Pittman on Flickr}