inspiration Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour


Orlando Publisher Margaret Jones says the one-hour Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour through a beautiful chain of lakes and canals is the best way to expe- rience the true natural beauty of Winter Park. The tour includes the Kraft Azalea Gardens and the Isle of Sicily to ob- serve tropical birds, plants and flowers. Beautiful landscapes of the magnificent mansions can be seen, too. (ScenicBoat Tours.com)


For an invigorating swim or scenic canoe or kayak trip, Julie Arnold, Volu- sia/Flagler publisher, visits Wekiwa Springs State Park. Thirteen miles of trails also offer opportunities for biking, hiking and horseback riding. (Florida StateParks.org/WekiwaSprings)


Panhandle


Northwest Florida Publisher Daralyn Chase seeks peaceful reprieves and a chance to glimpse native wildlife along the miles of hiking and biking trails that skirt the bayous, creeks and rivers that flow into Choctawatchee Bay. For even closer views of the aquatic diversity, she recommends bringing or renting a boat, canoe, kayak or stand- up paddleboard. (nwfwmd.state.fl.us/ recreation/choctawhatcheeriver.html) Tallahassee Publisher Donna Ko- nuch gets inspired by Mother Nature’s dazzling underground formations in Florida Caverns State Park, the state’s only park with dry (air-filled) caves open for public tours. She also favors Alligator Point, a great beach along the northern panhandle. (FloridaState- Parks.org/FloridaCaverns)


To connect with Natural Awakenings – Collier/Lee Counties, call 239-434-9392 or visit swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com. For info about other Natural Awakenings magazines, visit the corporate website at NaturalAwakeningsMag.com and click on the “Go Local” box on the right.


BORN TO EXPLORE by Joe Robinson I


t happens to all of us. We wake up one day and realize that we have been here before—just like yesterday and the day before that. Today is des- tined to be the same as all the others: safe, comfortable… and boring. Often, we need to engage in new experiences to be more vital and happy. Research from psychiatrist and neurosci- entist Dr. Gregory Berns, Ph.D., author of Satisfaction, shows that our brains benefit from new experiences so much so that the process releases the feel-good chemical dopamine. According to a study published in the journal Neuron, it is even triggered by the mere expecta- tion of a new experience. Researchers call this the “exploration bonus.” We are born to explore. Dr. Norman Doidge, author of The Brain that Changes Itself, maintains that connections be- tween brain neurons, called dendrites, develop in response to new experiences, and they shrink or vanish altogether if they’re not stimulated with new informa- tion. To keep our brains happy, we have to keep moving forward into the new. If novelty feels so good and does good things for us, why do we usually stick with what we know? The answer lies deep in the emotional center of the brain, called the amygdala, which perceives the unknown as potentially threatening. As a result, we often over- estimate the potential risk inherent in a new experience and underestimate the consequences of playing it safe. The good news is that we can over- ride this default. Here are some practical


ways to build the necessary life skills— our venture aptitude—to pursue new experiences and really start living. Do it to do it. When you approach an experience with this attitude, there is no harm to your self-worth because your objective isn’t the result, but the experi- ence; the pursuit of knowledge, chal- lenge or enjoyment—and that’s egoless. Advance into the fear. You in- flame fear by running from it, and you reduce it with every step that you take facing straight at it.


Make the unknown more know-


able. Knowledge trumps irrational fears. Talk to others that have par- ticipated in experiences you wish to engage in. Do research.


Don’t look at the mountain-


top. Break down big goals (running a race, acting in a neighborhood play) into small, incremental goals (running around the block, taking a beginner’s voice class) to build competence and confidence. Dabble. Sample the offerings. Try several different classes or events to see which ones excite you the most. Judge your life by how much you try, not by the results. That removes the fear and alibis, and puts you squarely in the center of the place where you are at your happiest—ab- sorbed in life-affirming experiences.


Joe Robinson is a work-life-balance trainer and coach, and author of Don’t Miss Your Life. He shares motivational essays at DontMissYourLife.net.


natural awakenings June 2012 37


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