Friday, June 22, 2007

Motivation

I've realized lately that I need to build more adventures into my life. As a perpetual non-planner this is much harder than it sounds. I have always been of the persuasion that the best adventures are spontaneous. Now that I don't have a car and I don't have partners in crime that can pick up and go at the drop of a hat, I have to actually PLAN (a four letter word). I want to do so many things this summer and if I just continue on my daily grind it will just fly by. Originally I wanted to summit 7 14'ers this summer. That was before I lost my mode of transportation and climbing partner. If I get two under my belt I'll be happy.

It's not just this summer though. There are so many things I want to do in general and I don't want time to just pass me by the way it has the last 8 months.

In order to better preserve my youth, health, and happiness I have decided that when my lease runs out in March I am going to pack up and hike the AT. It's something I've wanted to do for years and I can't think of a better time or opportunity than next spring. The timing is perfect. I want to go back to school next fall and if I start hiking at the beginning of April I'll be finished by the end of July/beginning of August. I'm really looking forward to leaving everything behind and living only on what I can carry in my own pack. I hate feeling weighed down. Lately I've just felt stuck. I have too many responsibilities and too little freedom. Maybe I should interpret that statement: I have too many bills and too little money. For some reason that translates into having too many obligations to frivolous things. I just want to leave it all behind. So hiking the AT is my solution.

For the first time in months I feel like I have something to look forward to. I have a finish line, a point in time when things will change. Deadlines are motivating to me. Some people don't work well under pressure; I only work well under pressure. I need that deadline or else possibilities are endless and I can behave as though I have all of eternity to accomplish anything.

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