Over the weekend I discovered Brenda’s blog Embark: Fifty-Two Weeks of Adventure. Brenda invites readers to join her on fifty-two weeks of adventures for 2015.
“Embark with me as I take fifty-two adventures and re-discover the joy of ordinary life being lived to its fullest.
I challenge you to find a way to learn, to grow, to care and to breathe, each day, for fifty-two weeks. Nourish your mind, soul, heart and body. And each week, go on an adventure. “
Seriously?! An adventure EVERY WEEK FOR A YEAR?! How will I contain the awesome?!?! I don’t think I have the words for how excited this made me. Maybe this picture will help explain it:
Needless to say, challenge accepted, Brenda. Challenge Accepted!
I will be posting here once a week (probably on Mondays or Tuesdays) about that week’s adventure. The cool thing about this challenge is that nobody decides what counts as an adventure but you. Some adventures may be big and exciting and some may be as simple as trying a new food or intentionally learning about something I didn’t know before.
This practice is not about doing extravagant things or trying to impress anyone with how adventurous I am. It’s about living with intention and making the most of my one wild and precious life by seeing and seizing the opportunities of each ordinary week. It’s about pushing myself to live a little bigger, to breathe a little deeper, to open my eyes a little wider.
Interested in joining? There are a few ways you can be involved. First, you can head over to Brenda’s blog and download her adorable Embark Journal and follow her adventures there. And if you write about your adventures in a blog, you can also link your posts here on Such Small Hands. I will host a link-up each week when I post my own adventure of the week. The link-up will be open for one week and will close when the next week’s post goes up. You can participate in all of them or pop in and out throughout the year. If you post once there is no pressure to post every week – I just thought this would be a fun journey to take as a community.
So that’s the deal. And now, without further ado…
Adventure Numero Uno
I started writing my book.
I actually sat down in front of my computer and I wrote “Introduction” and then I wrote an introduction!
This may not seem like a big deal to some of you fancy, big-time writers, but it was a huge step for me. Because while I have been thinking about the book I want to write for some time, I’ve been a real pansy about getting started. I’ve talked about what I want to write and I’ve even whined about how hard it is, but have I actually sat down and tried to do it? No. No, I haven’t. Until this past Saturday.
As part of my pursuit of wholeheartedness this year I am trying to be courageous. I need the courage to be vulnerable and to do hard work, even if it’s never rewarded. I need to stop talking about what I wish I could do in life and start living it. So for me, starting my book was the beginning of a very big adventure.
I’m headed to Thailand for our winter vacation on Friday so my next few adventures will probably be travel-related. They also might be late depending on how reliable my internet access is. I know that’s not a great way to start a new series, but it’s also giving me a chance to practice another of my wholehearted commitments, self-compassion. 🙂
In the words of the great Disney/Pixar movie, Up! :
“Adventure is out there!”
Please click the button below to add your link or to read other people’s links! When you link up, be sure to link to THIS POST from your blog so your readers know where to find the rest of the link-up!
document.write(”);
Lily Ellyn 
Whoohoo on the book writing – can’t wait!
Hopefully mine gets into self-publishment this month or Feb
All the best for a year of adventurement
love brett fish
LikeLike
Thanks! Guess what? Your manuscript is packed in my bag to read on my trip. Can’t wait to get into it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yay, now there is an adventure…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know, see. You’ve already given me my material for Week 2! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the idea! I will try it for sure!
LikeLike
Yay! Looking forward to hearing about it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loved it. Can I write in Spanish? It doesn’t bother you?
LikeLike
Definitely! Go for it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a grand way to keep an excited smile through the year!
Congratulations on starting your book too. That *is* a great adventure indeed…
LikeLike
Thank you! As you can tell, I’m pretty excited about it. haha. 🙂
LikeLike
Rightly so! Look forward to your adventures. Posting or not, I’m joining you on the ride. Adventures, big and small, are a fabulous plan for the year.
LikeLike
Awesome! Hope you share some of your adventures, at least in the comments here. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a cool idea! I’m toying with trying it myself, but weekly sounds ambitious. 🙂
Well wishes on your book writing!
LikeLike
Well, like I said, hop in and out if you want – you don’t have to commit to all 52 😉 Your adventures can be anything you want them to be – trying a new restaurant or going for a bike ride. Whatever works for you. 🙂
LikeLike
Your adventures still count even if you don’t have internet access! Write about them on paper or type and save. You can always post them later!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed. 🙂 Actually, Brenda’s printable “Embark journal” is perfect for that.
LikeLiked by 2 people
How wonderful! Congratulations!
This is a splendid idea! I need the decipline to make the time to do something wonderful like that…
LikeLike
Thank you! And you can do it! Make a list of things you’ve always wanted to try – making sushi or rock climbing or learning about black holes – whatever it is. And then do them! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lily you are such an inspiration! Your excitement is contagious—and your picture made me laugh. I’m in! Congrats on writing an introduction to your book. My palms are already tingling with anticipation of reading more about it.
Be safe in your travels!
LikeLike
Aww, thank you! You are too sweet! Here’s to a year of adventures! 🙂 Can’t wait to hear about yours too!
LikeLike
I love it!
Don’t know how I can do it lol nothing much really happens in my life, but so happy for you! I guess I have to make it happen, but it’s hard when you’re only 17.
Anyways, it doesn’t hurt to try, even that mentality is healthy to have!
LikeLike
Of course you can do it! What counts as an adventure is entirely up to you. It can be as simple as trying a new food or joining an online book club or reading a book you wouldn’t normally pick up. Mine will almost certainly not all be big exciting things. 🙂
LikeLike
This is *fantastic*. I love this idea–thanks so much for sharing! I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures, and to embarking on my own. And congrats on applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair and starting that book, woman! I spent a lot of time whining about how hard it was, too, before finally diving in. The good news is that you’re past that now, and on to the real adventure of writing. Have fun!
LikeLike
Thank you! I’m sure there will still be lots of ups and downs with the book writing, but getting started was surely the biggest hurdle. I’d love to hear about your adventures this year!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this! Can’t wait to follow your adventure! I think I’m feeling inspired this morning!
LikeLike
Yes, Yes, Yes! Be inspired! 🙂 Can’t wait to hear about some of your adventures!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love this idea! How exciting! I want to have Fifty-Two weeks of adventure too! 😉
LikeLike
Do it, do it, do it! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on 81collective and commented:
This might be the coolest thing I’ve read all day. I’m feeling inspired! Why shouldn’t we live life to the fullest?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really love this idea. I can’t commit every week with the kids around but will try to pop in once in a while. Maybe I can post some kid-friendly adventures? They really pushed me to try new things as a parent. They actually have more of a social life than I do! 😊
LikeLike
Great! For sure, do what you can – it’s meant to be an inspiration, not a burden. 🙂 I know others would love hearing about some kid-friendly adventures too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for linking to my blog! I’m looking forward to the book. 🙂
LikeLike
You bet! Thanks for the great idea! And you are too sweet. Hopefully I can stick with it and get it done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your post inspired me to start a new blog just for this challenge. Here’s hoping I’ll stick to it!! I also am not a very sophisticated WordPress user, so hopefully I use your link-up thing properly, haha.
LikeLike
That’s awesome! I’m excited to read about your adventures. And you seem to have done it properly…I just need to figure out how to make them display without having to click the button to see the collection….I want them to just show up at the bottom of the post as people add them. I will look into it. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want to journey with you. Adventure is on my blood after the years of being married to michael. He takes us on plenty of adventures. I dont see any necessarily in the near furtre but the every day with us can sometimes be an adventure. I will try and post this week. And let me say I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU. The introduction! That is huge. And awesome. Cant wait to read it one day.
LikeLike
Thanks, Jenn. I’m excited too, and kind of scared. I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m also excited to try! And I’m so glad you’re joining me. I’m looking forward to reading your posts!
LikeLike
What a great idea! Have a great time in Thailand- I’ve heard it’s a wonderful place to visit. Can’t wait to hear all about it.
LikeLike
Thanks! It’s my first time in Thailand and I’m really excited. Especially since it will be warm and sunny. 🙂 I feel like I’ve been cold for months, haha.
LikeLike
Such Small Hands… I’ve heard that before.
LikeLike
It’s from a poem by e.e. cummings – the last line of whcih is “nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands.” I believe it’s also the name of a song, but the blog is named for the poem. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Writing your book – yes! I think instead of 52 new adventures ill try finishing the book ive had in the works for a decade now. Dismantling it and starting with fresh eyes will be an adventure for sure! I finished Unraveled, btw… So many thoughts – still processing.
LikeLike
Ooh, very cool. Good luck with that. And about Unraveled – there were two huge takeaways for me – First, the thought she shares at the very end about realizing that there is a difference between questioning God and questioning what you believe about God. That was so freeing to me in giving me permission to ask questions without feeling like my faith was in jeopardy. And also something she says earlier in the book when she’s grappling with how unfair it seems for people who are never exposed to Christianity to be condemned. She quotes CS Lewis who says, “We do know that no man can be saved except through Christ; we do not know that only those who know Him can be saved through Him.” That was so helpful for me. Hope you are able to take away some helpful bits!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Bankim.ruparel and commented:
Beautifull
LikeLike
Thank you! And thanks for reblogging!
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
So I am joining this crazy expedition! However cannot link my blog here. Am I late to join? Has the link to join closed already? 😦
LikeLike
The Week One link-up closed, but you should be able to join the Week 2 link-up. Let me know if that doesn’t work!
LikeLike