We all, in some way, make a difference in one another's lives. This month's article focuses on the 6^th condition that is known to make a difference in people's lives - Spirit of Adventure - Lead with a Spirit of Adventure!   Life is made up of dreams, aspirations & desires.  But they need to be fostered & encouraged.  To better understand this 6th condition take a moment to reflect on the behaviour of children.  Children love to explore!  For them, life is one big adventure!  Everything is new to them and tremendously exciting!  Watch how little children go about aggressively exploring their world!  Equally amazing is how they motivate other children to explore with them!  Without realizing it, children do 'naturally' what adults often need to be taught - lead with a 'spirit of adventure'!  

6. Lead with a Spirit of Adventure!
   What characterizes this condition?  They have the ability & courage to take on positive, healthy challenges whether that be at work, within our churches, or at home. And one of the results of taking on positive, healthy challenges is that it builds self-confidence and empowers us to face the challenges we encounter each day. We experience the spirit of adventure whenever we tackle something new without allowing the paralyzing fear of failure to stop us. There will always be some fear associated with the 'Spirit of Adventure' & that can be healthy for it can serve the purpose of preventing us from becoming too risk-taking and forcing us to do more re-assessing of the situation.  Yes, "a ship in the harbour is safe....but that's not what ships were made for."  Neither were we.  We were created with that unique sense for adventure!  In the words of Louisa May Alcott: "Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations.  I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."

Leading with a 'Spirit of Adventure' is not for the faint of heart.  We all know that periodically we will face unexpected events, and disheartening disappointments. Some days we will win, and some days we will lose.  Richard Bach in The Bridge Across Forever sums it up quite well:  "That's what learning is, after all; not whether we lose the game, but how we lose and how we've changed because of it and what we take away from it that we never had before, to apply to other games. Losing, in a curious way, is winning."  At the end of the day, doesn't it come down to our ATTITUDE?  As someone has said, "Your attitude almost always determines your altitude in life."  It's our attitude towards the events in our lives that will determine whether we will view them as 'losses & defeats' or as 'opportunities'!  I've been fortunate to have had  parents who taught me to view each day - regardless of what happens - as an opportunity for personal growth!  I've discovered the importance of  embracing work with a willingness to take leaps of faith that lead us to places we never could have anticipated.  For example, it never crossed either my wife's or my mind that our spouses would die from cancer.  Did that mean that life's adventure for us had now ended?  No, it was just decision time for both of us!  When Anna & I were married, we choose as our theme the words of Alexander Graham Bell: "When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us."  

How do we go about fostering and encouraging one another to develop that spirit of adventure?  One way is by urging each other to explore new things.  We do that through creating an atmosphere that allows for healthy decision-making and healthy risk-taking. This helps them become more confident and resilient. We will help them become less concerned about whether they succeed or fail, and more interested in the journey they have embarked upon. We will help them see life as full of opportunities that are, indeed, worth exploring.

Regarding creating such an atmosphere for adventure, Jesus while on earth was a master of it.  For example, one day while engaged in his usual activities, he noticed the crowds - they now became his 'opportunity'.  Then he aligned his attitude with the opportunity - rather than becoming annoyed & frustrated with their presence, he allowed himself to feel empathy, compassion for he viewed them as confused, helpless & leaderless.  Seizing upon the opportunity, life became an adventure!  He reached out to them in ways that they had never experienced before.  He was truly making a significant difference in their lives!  But he wasn't finished yet!  He wanted his disciples to also experience their own adventure so in essence he said to them, "Now that you have watched me for the past few years on the adventure my Heavenly Father put me on, it's now your turn"!   Well, we know the story, don't we?  Those few followers of Jesus eventually turned the world upside down!  They had learned from their Master how to lead in the spirit of adventure.

Remember: You and I are here to make a difference!
To Be Continued - part 7