By: Taffy Hawkins
I have often relished the idea of taking the scenic route on an adventure instead of boarding a plane to fly high above the glorious attractions nestled along the winding roadways. This is my philosophy in life and travel. In my own experience, I find the scenic route to be exciting filled with treasures and lessons. You see, I started my journey as an 18-year-old college student destined to become a physical therapist. However, life has thrown me a few curve balls, which have led to some of the most amazing experiences of my 35 years.
I often tell my students that I have taken the scenic route. Some may take a neat little path from high school to college then great career and then are married with two children and a little house. This is a clear, express lane through life. In no way am I knocking this beautiful existence. It just was not my experience. My life has been messy and I wouldn’t change a thing. I have worked in a variety of fields, often at the same time. My early college career was riddled with hiccups and failures. I took the road less traveled. I found myself taking a couple of years off from college while my classmates were completing their degrees. This bothered me for quite some time, as it seemed that I was left behind. My mind raced with negative thoughts that I should have been “there” by now. Isn’t that the way it is in travel as well? One wrong turn and we are beating ourselves up because it took some extra time.
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” —Earl Nightingale
As much as we would like to be “there” already, we must also enjoy the journey. This scenic route is your life! When you travel, consider taking a road trip down Route 66 to enjoy the oddities along the way. Stop at the obscure cave along the highway, or take a dip in a roadside waterfall. Make life an adventure rather than something that you breeze through on the expressway. You might be missing all of the wonderful things that could be lurking had you just slowed down to enjoy them.
I can tell you from experience that scenic routes can take you to really amazing places. Whether it be a waterfall that takes forever to get to, a natural bridge that has inspired many funny stories or a GPS routing you through a creek where you see a family of deer, life happens on the scenic route. It is beautiful, messy and absolutely wonderful. When you experience these little hiccups or potential setbacks, consider it just a brief detour along the road. Your mindset about the event makes all of the difference in the world. If you find yourself having a lot of negative thoughts about the situation, find two to three ways to spin it into a positive thought. See the opportunity that THIS could be that pivotal moment that changes your life forever in the best possible way. Trust the process. I know it might seem difficult, but please give it a try! And as for the time, it will pass anyway. Make it time well spent. This is your daring adventure. Are you ready?
Taffy Hawkins is an author, passion expert, and certified life coach specializing in helping women during transitional seasons. She is the founder of Your Daring Adventure, a coaching, speaking and retreat company encouraging women across the globe to embrace a spirit of adventure. Her book, Living Out Your Bucket List Right Now For The Adventure of a Lifetime, is designed to help people of all ages begin their own bucket list adventure! Her website is www.yourdaringadventure.com.Contact her at yourdaringadventure@yahoo.com. Find her book on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Living-bucket-right-adventure-lifetime