As we get older it’s all to easy to become a ‘When We.’ But we also have to focus on the ‘We shall” as we get older. I’m excited to say that ‘We’, as in ‘He and Me’, are soon embarking on a Borneo Adventure 🙂
When we are 50 and older don’t you find that it becomes standard to often casually mention to our children , “When we did this,” or “When we did that?” Or we might mention that life was easier or better back then in ‘the old days’.
And of course there’s nothing I love more than finding time on a Sunday to sit with an old photograph album and page through our family memories!
So young – so long ago!
But it’s becoming more and more apparent to me that to find our way in the world as we get older, and not to lose touch with what’s going on, we have to look ahead, look to the future and embrace all that’s new, no matter how old we are.
It’s also good for our confidence.
Looking back might help us understand the past and induce nice feelings of nostalgia, but we need to grab hold of today with both hands, shake it up and move forward to learn new things and make new memories.
It’s easy to sink into comfort zones. Think, oh that’s how things were always done, so why not just do the same now?
In fact we binge watched a Netflix series, “Marcella” in front of a log fire on Sunday eating Liquorice Allsorts with little remorse – very comfortable!
But comfort zones can become prisons.
We can’t just stay still, even though staying still is comfortable, like sitting in a field of daisies with a lovely picnic on a summer’s day, whereas moving onwards in life is like picnicking but being stung by an ant!
As we get older sometimes our paths become less clear. Our careers are possibly ending, our children have flown from the nest. The path ahead looks windier and less travelled, and we don’t have a map.
It’s often quite daunting.
I guess to keep the engine stoked at times like this you still need excitement and passion in your life … physical and mental.
Gotta love life. Gotta get out there and keep living it.
The chap who wrote the book The Last Lecture was a Disney Imagineer. Just imagine. What a lovely job … to be an artist, a writer or an engineer who gets sent to theme parks, or watches the Disney channel constantly to come up with new ideas for the Disney brand.
Didn’t Disney himself say, “If you can dream it, you can do it?” I think so.
I’ve been dreaming our next adventure, and now it’s taking shape.
We’re off on a Borneo adventure soon – WaHay – can’t wait!
Borneo Adventure
We’re travelling with Borneo Ethical Adventures and Sarawak Tourism to Sabah and Sarawak where we’ll not only get to discover some of the amazing sights of Borneo, and attend a jazz festival in the jungle, but also get involved with local communities through tourism empowerment projects.
I also can’t wait to visit an Orang-Utan sanctuary, journey to the beautiful Bako National Park on a boat ride through a stilted water village, go river kayaking, and visit Deer and Lang Cave (home to three million bats) where we’ll witness a bat exodus which was a stand-out scene in David Attenborough’s Planet Earth series.
Exciting – a bit daunting – mind stretching – incredible!
From jungle yoga, to cooking with culture and hiking trails – you might like to check out the special Tours for Women with Borneo Ethical.
Lonely Planet Video
Are you still dreaming new adventures as you get older?
In the comments why not share with us ….
- Where you’d love to travel to this year?
- What nice thing you will do for yourself today?
- What helpful thing will you do for someone else, or your community this week?
Life Images by Jill
October 16, 2018 at 10:08 amI really like that quote – so true – Gotta love life. Gotta get out there and keep living it.
I know my Mum stopped living and I am sure shortened her life because of it. I don’t want to be like that.
We’ve done our big trip to Europe this year, but next year we are planning more extensive Australian travel. Today I am going to indulge myself in my art, and on Friday’s I will help in my local school library.
Have a great week Jo.
Johanna
October 16, 2018 at 7:28 pmThanks Jill. You are an inspiration in all the things you do 🙂
Molly
September 23, 2018 at 5:17 amYour Borneo adventure sounds fabulous! I always begin planning the next adventure on the heels of the previous one 🙂 Right now, we are planning a two-week family trip to Italy in 2021. We hope to do some genealogy research and enjoy my husband’s “motherland”
Johanna
September 24, 2018 at 9:03 pmHi Molly, ohhh Italy! How lovely. Enjoy and I hope the genealogy research will be fascinating. What fun!
1010ParkPlace
September 21, 2018 at 2:59 am“When I” and “When we”… Such a meaningful post for me. Since my husband died, eight years ago, I find myself saying that more and more. I was an adrenaline junkie, living a Raider’s of the Lost Ark before there was an Indiana Jones. Now no-one I know is adventurous and they’re not interested in traveling. Borneo… How interesting you’re going there! It’s always been one of the places I would like to see, but not something I’d like to do alone. I’m 69 and have learned a lot of hard lessons, traveling alone. In the last two years I’ve taken two women-led trips to France and Tuscany. Loved one but not the other. #MLSTL Brenda
Johanna
September 21, 2018 at 10:18 amHi Brenda, I’m so sad you lost your husband eight years ago. But I’m so glad you lived your life like an Indiana Jones! Yes, I agree, I wouldn’t go to Borneo alone – and that’s why Borneo Ethical Adventures is so interesting because they cater particularly for solo female travellers 🙂
Debbie
September 20, 2018 at 5:24 pmWow, this sounds so exciting Jo, good on you! I agree it can get quite daunting after a certain age and we have to keep looking at what’s next! Great post and looking forward to following your adventures. #mlstl
Johanna
September 21, 2018 at 10:19 amHi Debbie, thank you – and I hope I can give you an interesting virtual journey 🙂 (And that one day you might do it too!)
Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond
September 20, 2018 at 5:10 amHi Jo, what an exciting adventure to look forward to and I love Oran-Utangs. You are so right in saying we have to look forward and make the most of Midlife & Beyond. Some of us find it difficult when we retire from work to find our way. I’ve learned that we retire from work but not from life. Enjoy your adventure and thank you for sharing with us at #MLSTL.
Johanna
September 21, 2018 at 10:20 amHi Sue, yes it’s so important not to retire from life – it’s often an easy option to sit back and just go ‘Phew’, but we need adventures to keep us going!
Amy
September 19, 2018 at 9:50 pmWhat an adventure that would be. I would love to travel anywhere! I know that’s not answering your question, but I have no specific place I would like to go.
Johanna
September 21, 2018 at 10:23 amHi Amy, thank you 🙂 I hope you might enjoy following along virtually instead 🙂
Leanne | www.crestingthehill.com.au
September 19, 2018 at 6:00 pmIt sounds like a wonderful adventure Jo – more my husband’s cup of tea than mine though! We are planning on returning to Rottnest again in December for our second “island” visit – no orangutans but the quokkas are cute 🙂
You’re absolutely right though about not stagnating and doing your best to keep moving forward with some purpose and fun – this is our time and we need to make the most of it!
MLSTL and I’ve shared this on my SM xx
Johanna
September 21, 2018 at 10:24 amHi Leanne, Thanks for sharing I really appreciate it. Ahh, Rottnest in December sounds wonderful – and yes those quokkas are the cutest 🙂