after running at high altitude, he was deemed fit to take part in an outdoor survival experience in Utah’s desert country. With a knife, wool jacket, cap, gloves, long underwear and suit- able shoes—but no tent, sleeping bag or food—his group learned to live off the land with the assistance of three instructors in an initial phase of the program. “After two days we were given


our backpack with the critical blanket, poncho and food rations. I have never been so happy to hear the words ‘1,500 calories’ in my life, and though I have eaten at some wonderful restau- rants, the soups we made with those rations tasted better than anything I have eaten in my life,” he says. Murphy learned how to purify


water, make a tent from his poncho, start a fire with minimal tools and bed down in the cold without a sleeping bag or blanket. A crucial part of the survival training was the need to go even further when the group thought their adventure had ended. “We didn’t know whether that would be in 10 miles or 30,” he recalls. His ability to physically push past the mentally es- tablished timeframe led Murphy to see that he could also move beyond his either/or boundaries: either family or business; either business or adventure. “I realized that I don’t have to choose one over the other. I feel a better sense of balance now.”


In other parts of the country,


Outward Bound Adult Renewal also offers new experiences that test physi- cal limits and present breakthrough opportunities (OutwardBound.org). It’s also known for programs that help teens get a better handle on life. Participants often rock climb the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia or sea kayak along the Pacific Northwest or North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Op- tions for growth and renewal appear endless.


Nearby or far away, for a few


days or longer, a healthy escape can be truly restorative. a


Judith Fertig regularly contributes to Natural Awakenings.


18 Northern & Central New Mexico


inspiration 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 yester-


day and the day before that. Today is destined to be the same as all the oth- ers: safe, comfortable… and boring. Often, we need to engage in new experiences to be more vital and happy. Research from psychia- trist and neuroscientist 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 chemi- cal 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. Nor-


man Doidge, author of The Brain that Changes Itself, maintains that connec- tions between brain neurons, called dendrites, develop in response to new experiences, and they shrink or van- ish altogether if they’re not stimulated with new information. 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


override this default. Here are some NewMexico-NaturalAwakeningsMag.com


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 ap-


proach an experience with this atti- tude, there is no harm to your self- worth because your objective isn’t the result, but the experience; the pursuit of knowledge, challenge or enjoy- ment—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 mountaintop.


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. a


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.


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