There are people who consistently self-motivate, who make the most out of every day, and who refuse to accept any excuse for themselves…I am not one of those people.  So I’m using this blog as an accountability measure as well as a way to share the daily adventures I will be undertaking in an effort to challenge and ultimately better myself each day for a month.

A quick background on me and my reasons for this challenge that I made up but probably exists elsewhere too: a few  months ago, I began treatment for depression and anxiety, including increasingly worsening social anxiety.  I moved to a new city about 8 months ago and with my work schedule (nights and weekends) plus the aforementioned mental health challenges, I have struggled to create a solid social network here or to really explore my new home.  Although I have made progress more recently, I still spend most of my time outside of work sleeping, watching TV, and staring at my phone.  My doctor explicitly told me to remove “no” as an option for myself in regards to exercise (I have a gym membership that I’m not using) and spending time in social situations, however, I can’t self-discipline quite as well as I’d like to without extrinsic structure in place. So I’m creating that structure for myself; the goal is to have a new adventure each day, thereby reinventing myself and my mental health over the next month (hence the terrible pun “readventure self” that I love so much).

The Rules:

  • A “daily adventure” can be defined as anything out of the norm or a new experience for me, including but not limited to: trying a new hobby, going for a hike, cooking a new dish, spending time alone in a coffee shop, intentionally doing something outside of my comfort zone, etc.
  • Watching a new TV show/movie DOES NOT count (damn you, self-awareness).
  • Exercise must be somehow included in the activity 4 times/week, even if it’s just walking to the coffee shop, etc., though I will try to incorporate exercise-focused activities as well.
  • At least one other human being must be involved at least once/week.
  • Adventures do not have to involve spending money.
  • I have to write about as well as post a picture/proof of some kind for each day’s adventure.

Today’s adventure is creating this blog!  The real adventures start tomorrow!