I moved out west with an open mind and a heart for adventure. I was young and naive and excited for the possibility living a life in the outdoors had to offer. I was excited to have a job that allowed me so much time to explore. I figured I’d become one of those full fledge explorers that I admire so much. My adventures would provide so many stories to write about. This lasted for a while. I felt inspired by every experience I had. I never tired of going on new adventures. I then fell into a routine that made me feel stuck and lost. I became stagnant in my Moab home. Going to the same crag, the same trails, same canyons… My adventurous soul seemed to disappear. I felt as though my purpose in life was to go to work for the eight days, then “chase the stoke” so to say on my off shift. I thought that I had to put on this facade that in the end became draining.

I lost the reason I adventured. I forgot my lust for new experiences. How could something that so defined my existence disappear from me? It took me a while to realize this is okay. It is okay to feel lost. It is okay to feel as though your passions have disappeared for a while. It is okay to feel tired of adventuring. Listen to your mind and body. Recover. Do whatever works to rejuvenate your soul. I have been taking steps back to reconnect with the reasons I started the adventures of a nomad in the first place. I am reconnecting with why I wanted to live a life of adventure. As I inhale and exhale and take a broader look at my life, I have come to realize that though I feel lost right now I know I will sort out my life. I know I will rediscover my lust for adventure, and for that I am grateful. Be sure to honor those feelings. Honor feeling lost, and know that you’ll grow from these struggles.