These words have become my mantra. They are the words that I live by, that guide me, that help me to see the light when everything around me is dark and they have begun to define me.. I like to imagine myself as an adventurous person, someone that does not wilt in the face of a challenge, yet I know that how we view ourselves in our minds is very different from how we act when push comes to shove. When I stare upwards to the peak of a mountain my heart begins to race, my palms begin to sweat and I ask myself again and again “can I do this?”. I like to imagine myself as carefree and blase about the risks and costs of living a life on the edge yet I know that there will be a small voice in my mind warning me of all the potential pitfalls. . I like to think that I am carefree and willing to try any new experience that comes my way. But in reality, I worry about getting hurt, and I worry about expenses. Most of the adventures I dream of going on, are half-way across the world and require a lot of planning. One day I will disregard the tiny details of life that restrain me, and I will be courageous enough to tackle the adventures that I dream of.

The articles and photos from National Geographic are full of incredible sights and people. These images from places as bustling as London to as remote as Antarctica. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down, thumbed through their magazines or clicked on their websites, and imagined myself transported to the tops of mountains or the bottom of canyons. I sit back and wonder what it would be like to raft down white-water rapids or scale the peaks of cliffs. Yet no matter where I find myself in my imaginary adventure I keep returning to one picture, the picture that has touched my life more than any other. It’s not a soaring shot from an airplane or a carefully timed photo of a pack of lions hunting gazelles. It’s a face. A human face.. Snow covers him from head to toe and his eyes look hungry as if he is ready to attack any obstacle coming his way. His energy and love for his sport is palpable. His name is Cory Richards. He is the first American to successfully summit Pakistan’s Gasherbrum II during the winter. What separates me from Cory Richards? Does he have an inborn courageous side to him that I don’t? I think it is his ability to do what he loves without being held back by life’s tiny details. He truly lives his life to the fullest extent. He along with many other adventure seekers are my role models. I want to challenge myself. I want to become more than the person who sits here typing away. I need to break free of the 9-5 mould that society has forced me in to. This is the next big adventure!

To date, I have completed three Tough Mudders, hiked part of the Grand Canyon, gone rafting down the Jordan river, climbed Mt. Washington and I am eager to do more. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and going skydiving are definitely adventures I have entertained. We all should experience the beauty of nature and push past the limits of what we ‘think’ we can achieve. Accomplishing what most people fear and what most people don’t even think of trying is an incredible feat. Most obstacles in life can be overcome by having a powerful mindset. Your physical abilities can only get you so far. I am a huge advocate of going past your comfort zone, because only then you will realize what you can accomplish. The phrase “I can’t” is an excuse and is something people these days say with ease. We live in a world of comfort and convenience. When we stay in one place and do the same activities day in and day out, we become accustomed to our actions. The conveniences in life become normal and mundane. It is no longer something we appreciate or look forward to. We should all go on an adventure! Go somewhere unique and do something incredible that you otherwise would not normally do. Summer is a perfect opportunity for this.

Cory Richards said in a National Geographic interview, “If you love something, you don’t just do it once”. The world is full of beauty. There are thousands of sights and adventures we have yet to accomplish. So what are the GREATEST adventures out there and which ones should we be adding to our bucket lists?