How do you find "work-life balance" ?
For many people finding "life-work balance" is an ongoing challenge. Even though there are tons of books, blog posts, studies, and many "gurus" who teach how to find "work-life balance", achieving it can often feel like an impossible goal, especially for people who strive to give everything 100% ( like most ExtraHyperActive folks are ).
Last year, I made a decision to focus more on business, and hence, my "adventure time" in 2016 was very minimum. Yet, it was another year when I checked off a few goals off my Adventure Bucket List :
- We went on an awesome road trip around Central Oregon
We learned about history, and science at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, saw Portland from the window of Portland Aerial Tram, took a tour of the famous USS Blueback submarine, had a pretty miserable, and uneventful experience visiting Crater Lake, we skied, and tried ski biking at Hoodoo Ski area, went hiking, and climbing at Smith Rock State Park, and capped off our trip with a relaxing stay at Belknap Hot Springs.
- I finally took my son to California !
We had a lot of fun doing the usual touristy stuff like visiting Disney World, and Universal Studio, we surfed, and biked at Santa Monica, squeezed a quick workout at Venice Beach, and enjoyed many beautiful Southern California sunsets.
- We explore more of Eastern Washington
Since the year before when we got caught up in the wildfire near Lake Chelan, we'd vouched to come back this year. But because of lack of time, we opted in for a short trip to Vantage, WA.
We went paddleboarding, and windsurfing on the Columbia River, went hiking, and climbing at Frenchman Coulee, and spent the night camping under the beautiful starlit desert sky.
- More fun at the Washington Coast
There is never shortage of things to do at our beautiful coast ! This summer, we went to Ocean Shores, WA camping, surfing, kiteboarding, horseback and scooter riding along the shore !
- We got to try indoor skydiving
I'm still building up courage to do my first stetic skydive jump, and it was a cool way to get some motivation, and inspiration for myself, and a great unforgettable experience for my son !
- I finally got to try river SUP-ing ( paddleboarding ) !
Not just that, but I got to do it at one of the most beautiful places in our state - Snoqualmie Falls ! It was absolutely amazing experience, and I'm thinking of adding river paddleboarding to my business.
- Kite buggying will be added to my business in 2017 !
I bought a nice kite buggy, and had an amazing experience learning something new ! Compared to kiteboarding, or even kite landboarding, kite buggying is much easier, and safer to do ( as long as you know the basics of kite flying ). Kite buggying will definitely be something I'll be teaching next year.
- Target shooting
If you've been following my blog for a while, you know I'm not a big gun nut. Before, when target shooting used to be legal at many recreational spots around the state, I loved combining target shooting with off-roading. But nowadays, with so much violence, and uncertainty in the world ( and USA ! ), I see target shooting as a necessary skill everybody should have. This year, I took my first firearms safety class, and bought my first gun.
So, what are my Adventure Bucket List Goals for 2017 ?
Here is just a short list ( some of them date wayyy back to ... 2010 :))
- Ski to the famous Goldmyer Hot Springs
- Try heli/cat skiing
- Go dog sledding at Whistler, BC
- Do my first stetic skydiving jump
- Learn the basics of paragliding
- Take my first sailing class
- Learn fly fishing, bow hunting, and do more target practice
- Get the next scuba certificate ( rescue diver )
- Try spearfishing
- Try flyboarding
- Try snowkiting
- Rent RV, and go camping, paragliding, and jet skiing at Lake Chelan
- Rent Harley Davidson, and go touring around the state ( to fulfill my childhood dream :))
- Go for a short 2-3 days backpacking trip along Washington Coast, or on the Wonderland Trail
- Go for a 2-3 day bike touring trip
- Camping at North Cascade NP
- Bungee jumping ? This one's been on my BL since 2010 :)
As you can see, I still have tons of stuff I'd like to do before I "kick the bucket" :) ... and the list above is a short one I'm sharing with you :)
In 2017, my major out of state trips will be: Hawaii, the Bahamas, Vancouver and Whistler BC, New York, and wherever else I can escape for the weekend ( I call that - mini-adventures :))
As for my business goals :
- With my ExtraHyperActive brand, I want to help more people turn their passion for adventure travel, fitness, and the outdoors into a full time business ( or a side business to make extra money to support their healthy, and adventurous lifestyle ).
- With my ExtraHyperActive Fitness, I will move it completely online to provide assistance, and accountability, and help people live a happy, healthy, and adventurous lifestyle.
- With my adventure travel business "Seattle Kite, Surf, Paddle", I want show more people that you don't have to be an adrenaline junkie, or to be super fit athlete to try these "extreme sports".
I also want to become the "go-to" resource for anything "adventure travel" in Washington state ( the original idea behind "Washington Adventures"... this very blog that I started in 2009 :)).
- In 2017, I will also be looking into other business niches like gun training for women and kids, RV rentals to "live in", and... marijuana infused edibles, and supplements.
Even though some of my dreams have been taking years to accomplish ( like bungee jumping :)), I believe that your dreams and goals shouldn't have an expiration date. I believe that if you really want to achieve something badly enough, it will definitely happen... sooner or later... as long as you have clear, written goals :)
You have 'em, right ?
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