To live is a rare thing. Most people just exist.
The warm summer air blew in through the windows and tousled our hair as we cranked the music and giggled about some silly story of when we were teens. Dierks Bentley’s song Freedom on the stereo was the perfect pairing to our girls wine tour. We cruised around the twisty Naramata roads, without a plan and lost in the moment; smiling, laughing and full of energy.
You could say we were full of zest. In positive psychology, zest is one of the five character strengths that contribute most to a sense of life-satisfaction. As a component of the virtue of courage, zest means approaching life enthusiastically, as an adventure and being excited about life. Continue Reading…
Love & Relationships/ Meaning & Passion/ Zesty Adventures
Zesty life story: Choose your own adventure
Live the story you want to tell
His words swayed me in the breeze like a thousand swinging trees, in a forest lying next to stormy seas. The storm was coming, but it was adventure on the wind and I’m lost on my way to the only one for me.
We are the authors of our experience. In our story there are chapters, plots, characters, heroes, villains and pivotal moments. And as all good stories go, everything makes sense in the end. Continue Reading…
Meaning & Passion/ Wellness/ Zesty Adventures
Zesty Meditation: The healing power of solo bike rides
The body benefits from movement, the mind from stillness
The cool light of morning casts shadows across my bed as I open my eyes. It’s 5am and Kula noses up for her morning snuggle and more importantly, to tell me it’s time for her breakfast.
Passion is the best alarm clock. We follow our usual routine of a Ginja Ninja Smoothie and a bit of work at the computer before the call of the forest quickens our pace and we set off for the trails. Continue Reading…
Bravery/ Meaning & Passion/ Perseverance/ Zesty Adventures
Beautiful Tough: The strength to enduro anything
Huck yourself bravely towards fear
Taking a deep breath of fresh mountain air, you stand over your bike and gaze down the steep granite slope leading into a narrow clearing of trees. You have two options. Do you choose to remain stuck in fear or do you send it bravely into the unknown?
Humans have evolved through risk taking; when we take our first step, we risk falling down; when we learn to ride a bike, we risk crashing; when ask someone on a date, we risk being rejected. As tough as it is, if we don’t lean into the fear and discomfort, we don’t progress.
Continue Reading…
Bravery/ Love & Relationships/ Meaning & Passion/ Zesty Adventures
Zesty Relationships: Hot, sweet, salty, bitter, umami
Love comes in many flavours
Whether you’re at the bitter end of a relationship that sunk like the Titanic, you’re in the throes of hot starry-eyed dreaminess, you’re an old salt who’s spent decades in the same relationship or you’re living the sweet single life, there’s only one thing for certain…the moment you’re in right now.
Wherever you’re at, this is it. Instead of wishing for something different or feeling regret—just experience this moment. You can’t rewind and freeze-frame time at some idyllic point or in your imagination. Savour life while the time is ripe. Continue Reading…
Bravery/ Love & Relationships/ Meaning & Passion/ Zesty Adventures
Zesty Flow: Timelessness through authenticity
Tapping into your flow state
Being in flow during sport is an incredible feeling. There is an absence of fear, a weightlessness and an effortless rhythm—pure joy. In flow state, there’s no judgement or ego. You’re centred and totally connected with everything. Conversely, when you’re not in flow you’re out of balance and fear enters the body. You tighten up and it doesn’t have the same graceful and fulfilling rhythm, your timing is off and you feel resistance.
Flow isn’t just an experience for athletes. It’s ubiquitous. You can experience flow any situation. And more flow is proven to increase life satisfaction. If you want to feel happier, more alive and have deeper connections, you might want to tap into flow.