I'm in a massive forest, miles from any sign of civilization.
Situations such as these often inspire deep thought and appreciation. I was struck with a strong sense of amazement after about 10 minutes of our first hike.
I never thought watching a team of ants would impress me so much. The guide informed me that the ants carry the leaves to their nest where they use them to cultivate a special type of mushroom that the ants like to eat. How cool is that? Maybe I'm a nerd and nature just entertains me entirely too much, but to me the fact that these tiny insects are able to essentially grow their own crops to feast on is pretty awesome.
And those were just the ants. I was beginning to fully appreciate the delicate complexities of life in the Amazon forest.
I learned about trees that produce milk that helps heal an upset stomach. I also learned how to quickly climb up a vine to avoid being gored by a wild boar. I saw the massive hives built by ants. I heard the unique calls of the birds. There was one bird that I loved to hear because it's song sounded exactly like a drop of water. I ate bananas straight from the forest and it was the best I've ever had. I felt so content. Even despite the heat, the mosquitos, and even despite the complete lack of wifi.
Why did I want to go to the Amazon so badly?
I grew up the youngest with two older brothers, we played outside every day, got dirty, scraped my knees- still have the scars. Climbed trees, fell out of trees, got stung by bees, picked boysenberries, caught lightning bugs. I loved the smell of dirt and the sounds of the birds and insects outside.
I was also teased all my life by my brothers and I'm glad they did. This isn't some sappy story of how bullying is bad. It taught me to be independent. It taught me to stick up for myself. Both of which are of great help to me now traveling the world 20 something years later.
I was shy, always did as I was told, never did anything unexpected. That was the story of my life for 26 years. Until one day I woke up.
I was exhilarated. I felt in charge of my own life. I felt alive and excited. When was the last time you felt truly excited for your life, or life in general? When was the last time you felt like you weren't taking it for granted? Like you were truly living and experiencing the world?
Going to the Amazon reawakened my childhood self.
I was curious and I climbed vines. I got dirty. I hiked. I discovered. I felt like I was properly experiencing this world the way we as humans ought to experience it. Nature has always had a special place in my heart. I've always been amazed at how the life of insects, plants and animals fit so perfectly together. It's all for a reason. To go somewhere untouched by the industrialization of mankind and witness the life that exists there is such an awesome thing. Hopefully it will inspire you to take a deeper look at how you fit in this world. How you were created especially to exist and how you can and should take full advantage of being alive today.
If you're not quite sure how to get started with this new and exciting life that you want for yourself, here's some tips:
Do something that scares you
Go jump out of an airplane.
Dive with sharks.
Travel to a foreign country.
Hike up a mountain.
Try new foods.
Say yes to everything.
Take public transportation.
Talk to a stranger.
Avoid the status quo.
Be an anarchist.
Get the hell out of your comfort zone.
And Remember This:
The voice in your head isn't always right.
It's fun to surprise yourself.
Expand your perspective and raise your expectations for what your life ought to be like.
Be who you envy.
Embody the adventurer.
Feel your heartbeat.
Get your adrenaline pumping.
Yes it's scary as hell and it's so easy to bow out- but don't, because...