When I was a child, all I
did was run outside and climb my grandmother’s weeping willow or huge apple
tree. My friends and I spent every minute we could out of the house, and we
thought it was just wild to run through the woods and play hide and seek for hours
and hours in the yard. The thing is, these memories are the ones where I
remember being truly happy and carefree.
My adventures helped me
understand myself; they gave me a true image of what I could accomplish and
what I could push my mind and body to do. I gained immense satisfaction and a
positive sense of self-worth by setting and achieving goals for myself through
adventurous activities.
Unfortunately, it seems
like so many people today prefer staying indoors instead of exploring the
outside world. Many kids and adults would rather stay safely locked away in
their houses, attached to their phones or computers or video games. However,
the need for adventure is inherent in everyone; and it’s time to revitalize it.
As women, it is important
to be the explorers of today and inspire others to follow suit. We can
recollect memories of being outside romping around as a child, but for today’s
youth those experiences are much rarer. An article
from The Guardian cited a 2008 study
by Play England,
“70%
of adults had their biggest childhood adventure in outdoor spaces among trees,
rivers and woods, compared with only 29% of children today… [the] majority of
young people questioned said that their biggest adventures took place in
playgrounds.”
I was shocked when I read
this. Adventure is a crucial element of a successful and full life, and less
than 50% of those children surveyed had ever had a real outdoors experience other
than a jungle gym. This is insane. Now more than ever, we must stand up as
strong, female members of society and motivate today’s youth to find their own
adventures. Having explorations and adventures from a young age creates resilience
and a strong sense of independence, which are qualities I believe every female,
even every person, should acquire and maintain. Furthermore, another British study found that “around 55% of girls and young women
questioned agreed there is a lack of strong aspirational women in general.”
This is absurd. Let us be those women that change their minds. Strong role
models in local communities and in society in general show girls and young
women that they can achieve great things. Young girls need female role models
that are confident, courageous and adventurous.
This doesn’t mean that we have
to climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, or bike across America. By simply going
outside of our comfort zones and doing things that bring risk and change to our
daily routines, we are creating adventurous lives and leading others by
example. There are plenty of things we can do, whether it’s going bungee jumping or learning how to
kayak. The important thing is that we go out there and live life, for that’s
how we can show ourselves and others exactly what we’re made of. Everyone has
the ability to inspire others, and we need to take advantage of this fact and
become positive role models for the rest of society. We must become the driving
force that moves others, both younger and older, toward a more active future.
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