Once upon a time, he was Wart pulling the sword from the stone.

He was Robin Hood saving Maid Marian. Or Michelangelo rescuing Splinter.

He was a knight, an explorer, a boy who filled his days with quests.

Now, he’s a remote nine-to-fiver who barely leaves home.

His biggest exploits are daily to-dos and keeping himself from being thrown in the dungeon by his partner.

His enemies are waking up at 6AM, a sink full of dishes, and a basket full of dirty laundry.

His imagination has been slayed like the dragons of his past. The adventures dried up like their decaying bones.

The side effect of adulthood

Here’s the thing about growing older: responsibilities pile up. 

And responsibilities take priority. Eventually, they take over.

There’s no time left to save the day when there’s an ever-growing list of tasks. No energy for play when work consumes the better part of your week. No life to live when you’re just trying to survive.

But you know what there are a lot of? 

Excuses.

It’s easy to get stuck and become complacent. Easy to lock away the inner child and bury the key in responsibility.

But you make time for what you want. Isn’t that what they say?

Well, I want to go on quests again. I want to explore more, experience more, and experiment more. I want to break free of the day-in-day-out doldrums by doing more, tasting more, and seeing more.

So, I vow to make 2025 the year of adventuring. 

• I’ll seek out something new once or twice a month—like taking a jujitsu class or dancing lessons with my partner
  
  
• I’ll explore places afar (fingers crossed) and close to home—even taking a different route to the squash court or a random road trip for the sake of switching it up
  
  
• I’ll expand the horizons of my mind and push the boundaries of my comfort zone—whatever it takes to break the pattern

The living dead

This thing called life is over before you know it. Worse, you can die with your eyes wide open and your chest still full of breath.

So, don’t forget to live while you’re alive.

Carve out time to play. Let yourself be a kid now and then.

This world is serious enough—be silly, have a little fun, and enjoy the roundabout around the sun.

Stop living on autopilot. Dig free from habitual behaviour. 

The older we get, the deeper our routines take root. Yes, some are helpful—I drift aimlessly throughout the day if I don’t follow my morning routine. 

But routines also prevent spontaneity. They prevent randomness. And what’s random is unexpected. And what’s unexpected is exciting.

Finally, follow your curiosity.

• Learn about whatever catches your attention
  
  
• Let your mind wander to and fro
  
  
• Tinker with this and that

We live in an age where knowledge is at our fingertips.

You can connect with the smartest people in the world at the press of a button. You can teach yourself to do just about anything by watching videos and reading blogs. And you can share ideas online and get feedback almost instantaneously.

The winds of adventure

Truth is, the only thing stopping you from an adventurous life is you. (I say to myself.) So get the fuck out of your own way. (Again, I say to myself.)

It’s time to polish my armour, ready my steed, and follow the winds of adventure.

Here’s to a year full of quests. Big and small.

Want to follow along? I’ve created a log book to keep track of my adventures throughout the year. It’s a Google Doc—anybody can leave a comment (suggestions and banter is encouraged).