The Adventure Pact

Hi everyone! Is it too late to still wish everyone a Happy New Year? I often question when it has passed the point when you can still speak well wishes, I guess when people start giving you funny looks in return. As I'm writing this we still haven't quite reached double figure dates, so I'm gunna go with it and wish everyone a fun, creative year ahead!

(This is from a recent wander around a local nature reserve)

With a new year comes the inevitable talk of “New Year Resolutions”, to speak the truth I'm not a great believer in making them. Too many people seem to drop them within a week or two when the hype and positive outlook begins to wear thin or the self applied pressure starts to weigh heavy. Too bigger a step and you're destined to struggle, if not fail. I don't wish to set myself up to fail so rather than burst into the new year (seriously how many times can I get that term into this blog post?) all guns blazing I try to think of things I'd like to do and perhaps pick one or two. I consider them in a general sense, none too specific, allowing them to grow and change throughout the months ahead.

 (Southport Beach in January)

A couple of blog posts back I mentioned that I was hoping to go on an adventure, a holiday abroad, over the festive period, unfortunately due to circumstances cropping up this didn't pan out. Instead I spent my first Christmas with just J at our house. It was both Christmas and not Christmas at the same time. A new experience, with old traditions thrown in. It got me thinking about how I wanted to do more in the year ahead. We've been progressing on our house (renovating an old house) and it has meant that much of our 'thinking space' has been occupied with wallpapering and roof tiles and the like. We've stopped going on as many adventures and have been sticking to a similar rotational regime of coffee, food shopping and pet supplies.

(Me on Southport Beach!)

In 2016 we made a pact to go on 12 adventures throughout the year, generally speaking these fell once or more. Often there were more, but we set a minimum of 12. It sounds weird to plan spontaneity, it feels somewhat of a contradiction but it also makes sense. It pushed me outside of my comfort zone and forced me to think outside the box. We plan to resurrect the Adventure Pact this year and to continue doing and seeing more, like eating doughnuts on a absolutely freezing Southport Beach in the middle of January to visiting Beeston Castle.

Similarly, how I had intended to keep a record of my Christmas Holiday, I intend to document my Adventure Pact. I decided I wanted to change it up and push the boundary of my creating style. Whenever I journal it has always been in a bound book (save Project Life) whether in a Travelers Notebook or a sketch book of some kind. So with that being said I've set up my Nude Filofax Original as a journal. 

I've used Tomoe River paper for my pages, they're not quite B6 but taller and wider than actual personal inserts, I've also added the off cuts for a bit of variety. I'm sure I will be tipping in other bits and pieces, photographs and the like as I go along. I'm hoping the rings will actually make this process a little easier and allowing me greater flexibility to change things and swaps bits around as I go along! We shall see. 

 

I've decorated my inside, I would say pockets but the Originals do not have traditional pockets, just an annoying elastic loop. I've cobbled together, using some scrapbook paper pieces, some make shift pockets and slips to place my paperclips and bits of ephemera. I finally used a piece of 12x12 scrapbook paper I've been hoarding for a long while!

I've tried to include things that inspire me to keep challenging myself to find adventure, whether it is big or small, a tangible experience or a fleeting moment. There are moments to be had and I'm going to find them.

Don't forget to check out Anna's fantastic course on Adventure Journaling, she has some amazing tips and tricks to get you started.....and also can I just say Cambs Con! Remember to put the date in your diary!!

Till next time!