The Lessons We Learned in 2023
One of the core concepts behind the work we do at Explorer X is that we are all always on a journey of learning and growth, whether we know it or not. It doesn’t matter if you are walking through the woods near your home or having a meal someplace thousands of miles away, there are opportunities to change how we see ourselves and the world around us at every turn. And so, with this never-ending learning journey in mind, our team took some well-deserved reflective time to consider the key lessons we learned from the past year. Here are our thoughts.
Stop Taking Life for Granted
By Michael Bennett | Co-Founder
I remember waking up one day in early August with a pit in my stomach but having no idea why. Something was wrong, my intuition was telling me. It would be a few days before I received a phone call from a friend in Germany telling me that one of my best friends had passed away suddenly at 42. He had taken his own life.
After getting over the initial shock, grief set in. I searched for answers — How could this happen? Why did this happen? — and eventually came to realize that sometimes in life, there are no answers. Sometimes shit just happens.
This sudden and unexpected loss of a friend was a stark reminder of how much I had been taking for granted in my life – Friends, family, work I love, my health, and so much more. And I vowed to stop living that way. I vowed to begin seeing life as granted to me – the most precious of gifts. What a wonder to wake up to each and every day. What a joy to be able to call a friend or take a walk with Fred (my pup) or sip a cup of hot coffee. What a blessing to have a headache, because you know what? It means I am on the right side of the dirt for now.
Tomorrow is not guaranteed, yet most of us act like we are going to live forever. Newsflash: We won’t. So now is the time to begin living like we mean it. Now is the time to connect more meaningfully with the people we love. Now is the time to reach out to those who we have lost touch with. Now is always the time for a hug or an apology or a smile. Now is the time to take that trip you have been dreaming about for years. And now is the time to begin living life as if there is no tomorrow — because one day, we’ll all be right.
Simplify Your Life
By Robyn DeVoe | Travel Designer
I don't often realize just how complex and overstimulating my day-to-day is at home until I am completely removed from it. Travel does just this; it's why I crave it like fuel. I can experience the same effect whether I'm on a river trip here in the States or trekking halfway across the world. I'm hit the same way every time – like a wave of relief when I launch the boat on the water or step off the airplane into different air, one full of new smells and sensations and sounds. I get off that one-track racing mindset of 'what's next on my to-do list' and, given the space, my mind is allowed to expand.
For me, travel is not anxiety-inducing; just the opposite. Sure, the preparation can take a lot of work, but the unburdening I feel when I finally embark is valuable beyond measure. Upon taking those first strokes on the water or those first steps in a new land, nothing before that moment matters any longer. I am completely present and open to whatever comes my way. When I travel, a new, simple, healthy rhythm emerges: Wake, eat, explore, connect, sleep, repeat. I never feel more refreshed and aligned than I do when I travel. Some of the best sleep I ever get is on a trip, and it's no wonder why.
This is my takeaway for 2023, but honestly, it's been the same takeaway for every year prior and I expect for every year to come as well: Simplify.
See the World through Child’s Eyes
By Melissa Burnside | Travel Designer
This year, I embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. My adventure was one of introspection, love, and deep spiritual connection – parenthood. The birth of my daughter may have postponed a few a travel plans, but it led me on a trip of learning and growth that I could never experience anywhere else. She reminds me that living better means being present in each moment, remaining curious at the mundane, and seeing the world for the beautiful place that it is.
Mindset is Everything
By Curren Hamlet | Operations Manager
It has been a monumental year personally and professionally. 2023 was my first full year working at Explorer X and held some of the most memorable and impactful events of my life. Along with being the first full year with X, it was also the first full year living with my partner Tayler, I adopted a cat, traveled to Europe for a month, and moved twice – ending up on the other side of the country in Washington DC. I learned many things about myself and the world this year.
One of the more prominent lessons was on mindset. Mindset is everything. This is nothing new to me but dealing with stressful, life-changing events really made the importance of mindset and resilience apparent. Before moving for the first time the past year, I was living with my partner and another roommate and it was not working out. There was a point when I had to just accept the fact that something needed to change and change my mindset from “Why did I get myself into this situation” to “I am in this situation, and I need to make a change.”
From this mindset switch, I was able to accept where I was and make progress toward a change, instead of just getting overwhelmed and shutting down. Successfully switching my mindset continued to be crucial throughout the year to navigate, travel, moving, work, and relationships. And I kept in mind that taking one step at a time gets you to the top of the mountain; you can’t always take a helicopter.
What a year! Lots of positive stuff, but I look forward to a hopefully tamer year in 2024 (still fun, just less moving please).