Five Ways to See the World and Rediscover Your Sense of Wonder

The things you did not do will haunt you more than the ones you did in twenty years. Throw off the bowlines. Escape the safety of the harbor and set sail. Make good use of the prevailing trade winds. Explore. Believe in yourself and your education. - Mark Twain

In 2022, when I decided to stop working, I couldn't have told you why. Having long wanted to visit New Zealand, I was packing for a six-week trip there to work in sports TV production, a field that has always interested me. I enjoyed the company I worked for, the job I did, and the excitement of watching live television. The problem was that it wasn't enough. The depth of my feelings demanded exploration.

There was a strong emphasis on exploration. I was instantly taken back to 2004 and my time at a hostel in Laguna Beach, California, when I was an independent 18-year-old woman. I never wanted to follow the traditional route of getting a four-year degree, being hired by a large company, climbing the corporate ladder, and retiring with a pension when I was younger. This may be the best option for some, but I personally wouldn't want to take it.

Though I was on a quest for adventure and new experiences throughout the West Coast of the United States, I was well aware that I would need to begin weighing some weighty options upon my return to London.

For a while, I sat on Huntington Beach and thought about what I wanted out of life. To be paid to see the world, I need to work for a reputable company. It wasn't precisely what I was going for, but it seemed like a nice starting point anyway.

The next week, on July 7, a fellow Brit roused me from sleep to inform me that terrorists had just attacked London. For the remainder of the day, I was glued to the BBC to see the unfolding disaster. During commercials, I was exposed to scenes from throughout the world that made me think the BBC would be a great place to work.

I returned to London a few months later and applied to be an assistant on the production team at a BBC subsidiary. To my own astonishment, I was hired for the position. It made me really delighted. a new social circle, professional path, and range of opportunities

During my first week on the job, I overheard my boss on the phone with a colleague from the BBC Sport department. For the next six weeks, she would be in Germany, working on the FIFA World Cup. When I was alone, my mind wandered. That job was my ultimate career goal. I want to one day be a part of the sports industry and attend the most momentous events possible.

When I wanted to seek a job in that division, I approached my boss to find out who I could talk to. A few emails to their senior production manager and some persistence paid off with an invitation to their office for coffee and a chat.

Cast your mind back 18 years. Off the coasts of the United States and Australia, I've worked on sailing regattas, cricket tournaments, the World Cup in Brazil, the Olympics in London, the European Championships in Ukraine and Poland, and numerous Formula One and Formula E races around the world. Plus, they are only a sampling of the contents.

Traveling has had a profound effect on my life. My outlook on life, my relationships, my goals, and my ambitions have all been altered because of this. I've been pushed out of my comfort zone and exposed to new ideas and experiences because of this.

I have always taken great pleasure in my work, and that feeling has not diminished over time. And so it came as a surprise to me when I found myself wanting to hand in my resignation.

To be honest, I've never felt really settled in any one position. I've always sought new opportunities within the scope of my current role. I have worked on short-term, long-term, and freelance bases in the corporate world. I have a bachelor's degree in education and have worked as a teacher, a sports documentarian, a TV host, a tutor, and as the founder of my own business.

To be honest, I like my work in television production. I like expanding my horizons and putting myself in novel educational circumstances. There's a part of me that's still eighteen years old and resistant to following the herd. Also, she is a person I would never want to replace. Trying new things has given me the confidence to build my life around my interests, goals, and skillset.

Humanity has set exploration as one of its top priorities. We owe all we know about the world to the intrepid explorers of the past. Discoveries in philosophy, geography, physics, technology, and medicine, among other areas, have made the world a better place. More racial and gender equality, less poverty, better health and education, more tolerance and respect for one another, and less destruction of the natural world are all results of these movements.

Human curiosity and the drive to keep developing, building, producing, connecting, talking, and trying new things drive our world's perpetual transformation and development.

If you're feeling stuck and that your life is missing something, it could help to remember that the cosmos is a big place full of possibilities. We don't have forever to enjoy this earth. Living life to the fullest means exploring it and learning from it. The path to a new and improved existence may lie in the "sweet spot" discovered via research.

For the following three reasons, I believe that actively searching out and grabbing new opportunities is fundamental to achieving a more fulfilling existence:

1. Humans have a natural curiosity that must be satisfied.

This is a basic need on par with air, water, shelter, and affection. Exploration has always been at the core of human progress since it forms the basis for everything we create. We begin our liveslong quest for knowledge by exploring the world around us via play, travel, employment, study, experimentation, and socialization. Not to mention how important it is to see the world through our children's perspectives.

From philosophy and politics to literature and science to architecture and design, we are always questioning the status quo and seeking novel methods to sharpen our wits and abilities. The act of discovery is endless. Our whole existence depends on it.

2. I think that growing in one's understanding of oneself through exploration is essential to a fulfilling existence.

As a result, people are better able to see their own strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth. Raising your level of self-awareness may help you learn more about your priorities, values, and aspirations. Because of this, you'll be able to plan out your future actions with more forethought.

3. We get drive and optimism for a better future thanks to exploration.

It's a big, wide world out there, and you should go explore it. It allows for a world of uncharted possibilities, imaginative storytelling, and unsatisfied yearnings.

If you have a sharp and hungry intellect, you may identify goals and options that will lead to more happiness and satisfaction. Feel free to go for your dreams, knowing that you can comprehend almost anything. Learning new things often may help you see the world and your place in it differently, as well as the potential in yourself and others.

The definition of "exploration" is flexible enough to exclude things like quitting your job, moving halfway across the world, or actively seeking out new and exciting experiences. The good news is that no matter where you are in life, you will never be short of opportunities to discover new things and search for deeper significance. Alternatively, we might make discoveries as part of our regular routines.

If you want to start using inquiry in your everyday life right now, consider these five options:

1. Examine your interests and find out how you might participate more actively in them.

If you have a passion for anything outside of work, whether it's art, animals, cooking, design, driving, teaching, sewing, music, or sports, you should figure out how to make time for it every day or at least once a week.

Taking a course, volunteering, reading a book, listening to a podcast, reaching out to a successful person in the field, and even interning are all examples of ways to get insight into a certain field. You might expect a boost to your imagination if you participate in this exercise. Allowing oneself permission and room to experiment is key.

2. Act on impulse and shake up the routine and predictability of your life.

The next time you're driving to work, try a different radio station, eat at a different restaurant, walk a different route through the park, order a different meal, or use a different vegetable in your weekly cooking. One never knows what wonderful discoveries await those who are willing to go out and attempt something new.

3. Meet new people who share your interests.

It's impossible to predict which conversations may result in groundbreaking insights. The way you feel about a situation may be completely transformed by a single discussion, a single statement, or a single smile. A small store's owner and product background may often be researched in more depth than at a corporate chain. Their story might serve as motivation for your own expedition.

4. You can still visit faraway lands in your mind even if you can't physically get there.

Travel to other lands and experience new cultures with the help of movies, documentaries, TV shows, and books. When you need to unwind with a good book or a relaxing show, but you're also open to new ideas, why not try something from a whole different genre than you normally would?

5. Clothing may be used as a means of self-expression and to convey values and beliefs to the world.

How you present yourself to the world may have a significant impact on how you feel about yourself. You may find the courage to go out and experience the world by experimenting with different clothing, combining what you already possess, and trying new things.

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The capacity to initiate inquiry is a useful skill in everyday life. The point of your question is not to find your life's calling, after all. Make the most of every moment of your existence.

If you want to live a life that's fulfilling and meaningful, you need to always push yourself to learn and grow. Do not give up on discovering and pursuing your own desires. Because you have the power to bring about the changes you want in your life, it's important to make an effort to do so. So go! Seek out new information and knowledge while you travel. Take the leap of faith and have fun with it!

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