‘“Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.” - Dave Barry

Dear Friend:

I remember reading about a magazine survey that asked adults, “What was the single most memorable experience of your childhood?”

Emily, thirty-five, shared that it was the time her mom woke her up in the middle of the night with a box of donuts and a blanket, whispering in her ear that they were going outside to have a star party. A rare meteor shower was supposed to be visible in the night sky at three a.m.

Emily said this out-of-the-ordinary experience has always stayed with her and left her with a deep appreciation for adventure and spontaneity.

Aaron, forty-two, said he was significantly impacted by seeing his typically shy mother try para-gliding for the first time. He and his two siblings were in elementary school and knew their mother had a fear of heights. The image of his mother flying free and high in the sky—her purple shirt blowing in the wind—stays etched on his mind even today.

I’m a big risk-taker and love going new places and experiencing new things.

I attribute this largely to a father who constantly surprised us with outrageous ideas and mini-adventures. Whether it was line dancing at the local Greek festival, trying his latest recipe (peanut butter and fig oatmeal!), digging a private limestone cave for my siblings and me in our backyard, surprising my mom with a box of Valentines’ chocolates the size of a small country or taking us out to the Texas Hill Country to experience Fourth of July fireworks Peterson style—meaning he bought one of everything—my dad truly embraced his adventurous nature and his gusto for life was contagious.

Experiencing our adventurous selves—whether that means skydiving or trying a Vietnamese restaurant—is a marvelous way to reconnect with and nurture our essence. For many parents, once we have kids, we think we’re supposed to act “parental” and squelch our desire to try new things. Where did we get that?!

Pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone can be healthy and invigorating.

Trying new things, taking the less-traveled path or doing something out of the ordinary are rewarding on many levels and can:

• make you feel alive and keep you young (according to the latest brain science!)

• open up your mind to what is possible (personally and professionally)

• breathe new life into relationships

• lead to a shift in perspective so that you can see things in a new way

• remind you of who you really are

• help you feel more balanced and alive

• inspire your children and friends to try living outside of their comfort zones

What is one thing you have always wanted to try but never have?

Taking a trip to an exotic location alone? Violin lessons? Starting a vegetable garden? Tap dancing classes? Completing a triathalon? Writing a children’s book? Or maybe learning how to speak Portuguese (something my husband just did)?

Years ago when I headed up the marketing and tourism group at the state agency for historic preservation, I had the privilege of working for an incredible man—an archeologist by trade. He had a passion for learning and exploring that was unlike anything I’ve ever encountered. He told me that he had a list of things he planned to do before he died, including visiting polar bears at the North Pole, swimming under the full moon in Lake Louise and hiking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain (he was sixty-two at the time). One afternoon, he stopped by my office and shared that he only had two more items left on his list of one hundred. He died three years later. I always hoped he was able to experience those last two goals before he passed.

I challenge you to explore and reconnect with your essence by spreading your wings and trying something new.

Check out my list here from Outrageous Living: Reclaiming Adventure in Your Life from The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal for suggested “adventure outings!”

Then, join us Tuesday, May 18th from 7:30-8:30 p.m. CST for our FREE Telelcass on Reclaiming Adventure in Your Life and afterwards, visit our Live Inside Out community and share how you’ll be stepping out of your comfort zone in May—I dare you!

Please keep in touch and let me know how my team and I can support you this summer—I’d love to see you at an upcoming event.

Warmly—Renee

P.S. I hope you enjoyed your FREE download of the new book we contributed to: Courageous Parents, Confident Kids: Letting Go So You Both Can Grow. If you missed it, you can learn more and purchase it here and on Amazon.

Upcoming Training, Retreats and Events

• May 18     7:30-8:30 p.m., CST.
  FREE Live Inside Outclass via telephone with Renee Trudeau. Theme: Reclaiming Adventure in Your Life. Join author/life coach Renee Trudeau and women from around the world in a "virtual living room" as we explore how to live life from the inside-out. Register and receive details here.
  
  

• June 11   9:00-Noon   The Empowered Entrepreneur, Austin, TX. Are you an entrepreneur who desires to work less, make more and be the master–not the slave-to your business? Join us for the popular, highly interactive small group coaching experience. Cost: $175 (bring a friend and you each get $25 off).  Register and learn more.
  
  

• June 17     7:00-8:00 p.m., CST.
  FREE Live Inside Out class via telephone with Renee Trudeau. Theme: Staying Connected to Your Partner. Join author/life coach Renee Trudeau and women from around the world in a "virtual living room" as we explore how to live life from the inside-out. Register and receive details here.
  
  

• August 13-15   Reflect, Reclaim, Re-Balance: Reflect, Reclaim, Re-Balance (with Renee Trudeau). Kripalu Retreat Center - Lennox, MA (The Berkshires). Click here for details and to register.
  
  
  
• August 27    9:30 a.m. - noon
  The Career Strategy Workshop: Find a Fit, Create a Plan, Love Your Work
  A small, dynamic group-coaching workshop focused on helping you strategically map out your next steps and find work that is a “fit” for you. You will also receive support via Renee’s online Career Center and a subscription to the Career Strategist’s job leads service. **BONUS** register by Aug. 10 and receive a free DIY Job Search Toolkit (a $99 value). Class size is limited. CLICK HERE to register online. Contact info@careerstrategists.net with questions.
  
  
• Are you a coach, parent educator, birthing professional, counselor or women's empowerment advocate who wants to grow their business and loves helping women nurture their emotional well-being? Learn more about becoming a PRG Facilitator and join an international community of leaders who are changing women's lives through powerful life coaching groups centered around The Mother's Guide to Self-Renewal.
  
  
• Did you know Renee travels around the world speaking to corporations, organizations and at national conferences on life balance, self-renewal (and other related topics)? Learn more about having Renee speak at your next event, workshops or conference. We're scheduling 2010 events now.
  
  
• Visit our online calendar to learn about upcoming self-renewal retreats and events.