The Microadventure Mindset

The Microadventure Mindset

There are 365 days in a year — and not all of them can be memorable. Or can they?

Alastair Humphreys, named National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2012 for taking a series of microadventures near his home, wrote Microadventures: Local Discoveries for Great Escapes and asserts that adventure is about curiosity, surprise, and getting away from familiarity. "Once you go somewhere you've never been, you are being an explorer."

I'd counter that you don't necessarily need to go someplace new to experience curiosity or surprise — microadventures can unfold within your current environment: cook a new dish with that odd pantry ingredient (hello, Beau Monde spice blend), play a long-ignored board game (could I actually win at Risk?), or turn left instead of right when walking the dog (can adventure be this easy?). Any similarly quick and inexpensive microadventure can spur curiosity, deliver surprise, or create an unfamiliar experience — allowing us to punctuate everyday life with memorable moments. Much of it falls back on the ageless idiom: take time to stop and smell the roses.

Humphreys defines microadventures as adventures that span anywhere from a few hours to a short overnight and squeeze "big adventure feelings" into the experience. Big adventure feelings aren't necessarily about adrenaline or dangerous endeavors — the simple act of trying something in a different setting or at a different time can flip the mundane into something novel and mentally rewarding. And since "big" adventures can feel incredibly out of reach, starting small can be the bread crumb trail you need to eventually step toward bigger adventures, goals, and ideas. As Humphreys puts it: "Waiting for all your stars to align is a guaranteed way to ensure that the adventure you crave will never happen." It doesn't matter if you never climb the Himalaya — it does matter if you do nothing.

A few ideas to get you started: camp without a tent in your own backyard (maybe before or after mosquito season), cook dinner outdoors at a local township park (haven't you always wanted to try those funky grills?), or go to a Great Lake beach on a crummy day. Repeat the ideas each season — they're guaranteed to be a different experience every time. Woods & Waters has many trips that fit Humphreys' microadventure timeframe — from our 2-hour Little Dipper to our overnight island camping trips and Full Moon paddles. We also offer our multi-night WOW! trips for those wanting to stretch their microadventure out a little further. Regardless of which trip people choose, we help curious people step beyond their familiar and be surprised by something new — seeing a wild bald eagle for the first time, the Milky Way from a tent on Government Island, or camping out somewhere that required a paddle to reach.

If these longer microadventures still feel too daunting, realize that doing any microadventure that connects you to nature can reap real benefits — and they can be woven into your daily routine. Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley, has found that intently focusing on small natural wonders — flowers, insects, birds — reduces stress and elevates life satisfaction. Being an explorer wherever you find yourself can lower anxiety, clear your head before upcoming tasks, and train your brain for resilience and optimism. Even making observations of a beautiful view for as little as 2–3 minutes a few times per week can have measurable impact.

Where can you find these pockets of nature? Houseplants, flower bouquets, the floral department at your local grocer. Step outside, look out a window, squat down and watch where an insect goes. Before you start, set a 3-minute timer. The first few weeks of these micro-microadventures will likely feel like forever — we are so conditioned to the quick hits our phones provide that our attention spans have shortened considerably. But focusing on something other than a screen helps reset that capacity and retrain your ability to be present — which makes you a better listener, more connected to the people around you, and better at getting things done. Over time, consider adding a few 10–30 minute microadventures to your week.

You have 365 chances to wake up and start anew every year. You are not what you say you'll do — you are what you do. Today, or tomorrow, make a plan for a microadventure. Use your eyes, ears, nose, and body to investigate all the roses you come upon. Be an explorer. Be surprised. Be curious.

Some microadventure ideas to get you started:

Moonlight walk (or full moon paddle) · Berry picking (thimbleberries in the Les Cheneaux in August) · Get up for a sunrise (I'm not a fan of this in June, for the record) · Let the dog sniff as much as they want on a walk (reading all the pee-mail is their microadventure — and science confirms it's genuinely good for them) · Picnic lunch (beware Yogi) · Stare at water (find a puddle at the very least, or come kayaking) · Daydream while watching clouds (a favorite Instagram account: @adailycloud)

A few resources:

To learn more about Alastair Humphreys, visit his website. Note that the concept of public land access is very different in the British Isles — Americans cannot simply wander up a hillside and camp the way Humphreys often describes.

The average American checks their phone 96 times per day — once every ten to twelve minutes — and touches it up to 2,617 times per day. Less than 5% of Americans spend under an hour on their phone daily. More on smartphone usage here.

Did you make it to the end? Most people don't. Research by UC Irvine's Gloria Mark found that sustained attention on digital devices has dropped from about 150 seconds in 2004 to roughly 47 seconds today — and it keeps declining. More on attention span here. Reconsider your next microadventure.