I have a landmark birthday coming up next month and I have been thinking about what I would do to celebrate.  For the last “big” one I treated myself to a scuba diving trip in the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador.  The one before that I did a canoe trip up in the Arctic.  This year … well nothing is really catching my attention.

Perhaps one of the reasons is that now my life is a lot different from previous years.  I am not managing a business, running a household and parenting two boys.  Back then I yearned to escape the stress and busyness of a full life … and adventure travel fit the bill.  My vacation motto was “no cell phones, no customers, no computers and no kids”.

Now, however, that has changed to the point where I can honestly say I don’t feel the need to run away to get re-energized but rather choose to move towards more fulfilling activities.  My curiosity and the need to challenge myself drive my vacation choices, thus the back country trekking and international travel.  I want to see and do as much as I can while I still have health and stamina.

But then I notice this dissonance in my heart as I feel a yearning to find my next home base.  While I probably could find another birthday adventure to go onto for a couple of weeks I would just return back to where I am, back to the longing of “where to next?”

After this realization I decided that for my birthday this year I would like to give myself permission to explore “a new life”.  It is time to stop day dreaming and to start seriously looking for my next base camp.  Wow – that decision felt scary and extremely exhilarating!  It will certainly take a lot of courage to wrap this gift … and I know I am worth it.

Now it is time to pull out the maps and start planning a pre-birthday reconnaissance trip …