Where the wild things are

The phrase ‘Where the wild things are’ popped into my mind this morning as I walked along a path unknown. I giggled to myself because I am so not wild and I rarely go anywhere adventurous.

‘Where the wild things are’ is a wonderful children’s book that I read to my boys over and over again when they were little. It was full of imagination, adventure, risk and even a tad of rebellion. It was about a little boy called Max who was sent to his bedroom for being naughty. So he put on his wolf suit, stepped into his private boat and sailed off through night and day, and in and out of weeks, and almost over a year to the place where the wild things are.

Cautious and considered is my nature

By nature I am a very cautious, risk adverse person who always likes to be in control. But this morning I decided to change things up and walk a different way to Teneriffe park. I know what you are thinking “Oh my Claire how extremely risky of you!”

Yes I was feeling quite proud of myself because it challenged me in a number of ways. It took me out of my comfort zone, it made me walk with alertness and I was forced to use some different neural pathways in my brain. All of which are essential for good brain health and happiness.

It took quite a bit of effort to do this and I had to constantly say to myself “Come on Claire where is your sense of adventure.”

This is how my walk unfolded

Walk down to the end of my street (familiar territory).

First decision to be made:

Do I turn left and take the path that I know (very comfortable and no thinking required) or do I turn right and walk up the stairs into unknown territory. Voice in my head says “What if you get lost, what if the stairs don’t lead to another street, what if you are on private property, what if you get in trouble.”  Another voice pops in and says  “Oh for goodness sake Claire take the dam stairs, nothing bad is going to happen.”

So I turn right and take the stairs. I walk up the first lot and find myself in a street. I feel disorientated. I am not sure where I am or where to go next. I spy another lot of stairs.

Second decision to be made:

Do I go up these stairs? Where will they lead? What if they lead into someone’s house?

Then I see people walking along the road above the stairs and I sigh with relief. It’s ok I can go up them. So I head up the second lot of stairs  and start to follow these people. Now I am starting to feel good, I am pretty sure I am heading in the right direction. As I relax I start to notice all the new things around me. Different houses to look at, wonderful views to see and a child like anticipation of what is going to be around the corner.

Third decision to be made:

I spy a narrow path to the left of me. Do I take this little path? It looks like it might be a short cut to the park I am heading to. But once again the voice of fear pops up. “Don’t take it Claire you can’t see around the corner and you have no idea where you will end up” So I start to walk straight ahead and then an image of my friend Karen enters my mind. Karen is always so curious and full of adventure. If she sees a set of stairs she is up them before you can blink an eyelid. If Karen can bend the rules she will. With this in mind I turn around and boldly walk up the path and low and behold there is my park!

This morning on my walk I felt like Max in my wolf suit embarking on a new adventure into the wild!

I know that in reality my little change of routine was so tame and so safe, but to me it was an adventure.

Some of you will totally get this and some of you will find it quite funny. But that’s ok because I love how we are all so different and how we can learn from each other. My friend Karen is always shaking her head  and laughing at me. She can’t believe that I don’t spontaneously walk up stairs!

If you are like me and have a propensity to play it safe can I encourage you every now and then to put on your wolf suit, let go of your fears and venture out to where the wild things are. You never know what magic you will find there and what new adventures are awaiting you.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

Be happy, colour the world.

Claire