I have been investing in personal adventure holidays since I was 20 years old. My personal adventure has life long, revolved around hiking, trail running or skiing in our spectacular natural world and meeting new people who are interesting and interested. I am as obsessed with eating an oyster plucked from a third generation farmer’s hand on their Tasmanian oyster farm lease as I am soaking up a sunrise from a mountain peak. Visually drinking in the vista from a majestic coastal trail or chatting to a viticulturalist about the why they love what they do makes feel so excited, inspired and happy.

Personal adventure tricks your brain into a perception of risk. Take trekking for example, there are four key activities that are setting off a waterfall of positive brain waves when participating in this type of personal adventure. They are physical activity in nature, long form conversation, making new friends and empowerment.

Let’s dig down on each activity one by one to discover the smorgasbord of good brain vibes in each one.

As you puff and pant your way up that hill your brain is triggered to release endorphins that are natural painkillers and mood boosters. Endorphins create feelings of happiness and euphoria that leads your brain to the conclusion ‘this is a happy moment’. 

Physically activity in nature activates your hippocampus the part of your brain that looks after memory retrieval. Ever felt like your younger self when exploring a trail in nature? 

It seems such a luxury in 2023 to engage in long form meaningful conversation. 

Walking along a trail with your companion you sense the time and space to really lock in for a long and worthwhile conversation. The exchange of ideas and experiences between two humans working through a topic ties them together in a shared experience.

All the personal adventure holidays I have invested in I am ‘forced’ in to making new friends. I often will join a group alone or travel with a small group of friends. Making new friends releases oxytocin the ‘love’ hormone. 

There is not doubt that investing in personal adventure is empowering. I see it on the faces of all those participating in the adventure with me. It is an inescapable side effect. 

Doing tough things, like hiking up and extra-long hill, or weathering a windy, wet day on a coastal headland trek provides self-efficacy. You internally converse with yourself. ‘If I can do this, I can also reach the other goals in my life.’

With all these brain benefits its no wonder I founded a women’s only trekking and experiences company 12 years ago. At that time in my life, I wanted to find my way back to personal adventure. At this time in my life, I can’t live without it.