At the start of the year my fellow classmates and I were asked to introduce ourselves by stating our name, where we are from, and our greatest fear. Thinking that this was an odd exercise, I nonchalantly agreed with the answers before me; I’m scared of snakes and the dark. Even though I wasn’t about to admit it while casually introducing myself, if we are being honest, those aren’t what scare me the most. My greatest fear? That one day I’ll wake up to find myself regretting things that I didn’t do, opportunities I didn’t take. Every single day we wake up privileged by the chances that surround us, and it is time that we take advantage of them.
Spontaneity is the hunger for adventure and restlessness for the unknown; that unfulfilled feeling that there is more out there than just your immediate surroundings. It overwhelms your soul and yearns for exploration and change. Whether you were born with a carefree spirit or a sheltered one, I can assure you that being spontaneous will replace all of the “could haves” with self-discovery, new relationships and a greater understanding of what the world has to offer.
We are so consumed by irrelevant and unimportant everyday monotony that we forget that this is our time. It’s the time to act a little bit recklessly, to make mistakes and to learn from them. It’s the time to go on a road trip to visit one of your friends in California, to pick up a guitar, to learn how to ski. All of the days binge-watching seasons of Breaking Bad could be spent exploring outdoors or finding romance in a new city. Betraying the shackle of routine frees us to a life of creativity, thrill and adventure.
It would be naïve to ignore the fact that there are obligations that restrict us from always living in the moment. Realizing that life is short and some opportunities only come once, however, is the start to living with more spontaneity and less regret.
I can’t begin to keep track of the number of times that I’ve heard my elders say “remember when” or “back in the day.” I’ve heard stories of my parent’s youth that have carried through to the next generation. The most memorable are always the ones that happened on a whim, where rules were broken and it was unexpected. There will come a day when you reflect on your youth; what will you remember? Next time you’re presented with an opportunity I urge you to take a chance and ask yourself, why not?