“My goal is to do something outrageous every day.” – Maggie Kuhn
Recently-retired Maggie Kuhn was impassioned, and probably pissed off, when her employers forced her to quit at an age she considered thriving. The 65-year-old refused to disappear into weekly Bingo games and afternoons soap operas. Instead, she became an activist, publicly protested ageism and retirement laws, and founded the Grey Panther Movement for inter-generational justice.
To me, getting old is intricately linked to travel for all the wrong reasons. As one ages, one supposedly travels less; if both were measured on a graph, they would plummet into the corner of a nursing home, where past trips abroad are hazily confused with yesterday’s doctor visit.
But Kuhn was right: boldness is a choice, not a natural state. To be bold is to choose a life beyond expectations.
And because I always feel most emboldened when I’m traveling, here’s how to take Kuhn’s advice and turn a normal day at home into a bright (seemingly-foreign) adventure:
- Ask a question. Out loud. What does your mind wonder about this morning? From something easy, like how a toaster works, to something philosophical, like why you had last night’s dream: voice your query aloud and start the day with some healthy curiosity.
- Take a left. Or a right. Whichever direction you never take to get to work, this is the direction you should go now. Don’t follow the usual path, but pick any corner or stoplight and make a left turn. Deviate in an unusual direction and see where it leads you.
- Taste something new. Even something gross. Chances are, in your sudden wandering, you’ll find a cafe, food truck or diner. Go inside and check out the menu. What individual ingredient or combination haven’t you eaten before? Order one, just to try – even if it’s something you’re sure to dislike.
- Speak to a stranger. About absolutely anything. Was your surprise snack tasty? Does the waitress have nice shoes? Comment about it. Interact with an unfamiliar face and weave a little link in the web of humanity.
- Wait 10 minutes. Without a technological device to distract you. What do you observe as the minutes pass by? What captures your attention? At a bus stop, at the cafe booth, wherever – small, incredible details surround you! Take the time to recognize a few.
- Snap a photograph. Yes, just like a tourist. If you could keep just one physical memory of these bold experiences, what would that memory be? Take a picture of something that best captures the day.
- Write about it in a postcard home. Dear Me… Tell the folks back home about the exotic, surprising things you’ve observed today. Use your senses to paint a picture of this magical place. Put the details on a postcard and pop it in the mail. Come Wednesday, you’ll receive a note from the past that inspires you to be bold and do it all again!
~ Until the next adventure! ~ Kelli