Sometimes I forget that the key part of “The Call” stage of the Hero’s Journey is that it is a Call to Adventure.

Adventure: an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks; an exciting or remarkable experience. Merriam Webster

What comes to mind when you think about going on an adventure?  Probably you have imagined an experience that’s way out of the ordinary day of your life.  But why does it need to be that way?  Can we not change our perspective to enhance the quotidian?

How about a trip to the grocery store? Modern grocery stores are usually filled with food from all over the world!  What is this fruit?  What would it cost me to try just a couple of these unusual looking squash? Here are some rice noodles—could I learn how to make Pad Thai? What does a Double Gloucester cheese taste like?  What does the “double” even mean? (Check out the Cheese-Rolling! The people of Gloucester know a thing or two about adventures with cheese.)  There are opportunities for adventure everywhere.

With the attitude of an anthropologist, the laundromat can shift from a chore to an adventure. When I visited Wales last spring, I met three lovely women in a laundromat who helped me navigate the machines and pass the time – and not one of them was Welsh! (Australian, Ukrainian, Pakistani)

Are you looking at your goals for the next year as a Hero’s Journey?  Do you see the start of the Journey as a Call to Adventure?

When you’re confronted with the Trials and Ordeal, adopting an attitude of adventure helps you see solutions you might not have seen before.  Reminding yourself that this is an adventure can assist you in negotiating the strong emotions that are bound to come up during the stages of the Journey.

Finally, since you can’t do a Hero’s Journey by yourself, remember to share the adventure by bringing along some allies and mentors to enjoy the Journey with you.

Here’s to 2025 as your year of adventure!

 

Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash