Living in the moment- Chelsea's Masters Course - Outward Bound

Living in the moment- Chelsea's Masters Course

My Course, Inspirational, Life after OB

Many of us are planners by nature. But at Anakiwa, you'll learn to deal with challenges as they arise, never quite sure whether you'll find yourself on land or on water the next morning. Learning to live in the moment and have a less structured approach to life has its benefits. Chelsea's 21 day course gave her some great insights about the power of living in the here and now.

Outward Bound Masters

Take the leap, dive in, learn to be present in the here and now

Leaving real life behind
Finding myself stuck in the Marlborough Sounds without my phone and contact with the outside world for 21 days with 12 strangers was not a position I thought I would go out of my way to put myself in.

Sitting on a ferry voyaging its way towards Anakiwa, I wondered what it was I had managed to get myself into.

Only days before I was in a comfortable position in my job, lived in an exciting part of the country, but was leaving all of that behind to find that part of me that had disappeared in amongst ‘real’ life and all its responsibility.  Outward Bound was something I had considered long ago and when the opportunity was presented before me for funding to attend I jumped at the chance (YOLO and all that jazz right?).

Chelsea's Batten 615 Watch

Chelsea's 615 Batten Watch living in the moment!

Forgetting the forward planning
Walking down the jetty after the ferry had moored I made my way towards the unknown.

For a girl used to routine, endless to do lists and forward planning, not knowing what lay before me was a hard adjustment. There was no time to be anxious and to worry about the future when all you had was what was happening right here and now.

Fast forward to the end of my course, I have come to appreciate this way of life and all the more being present and living in the moment.

Never did I feel this more so that sailing through the Marlborough Sounds in a 10 metre cutter, the days and night in the bush on my solo and crossing that finish line in the half marathon on the second to last day.  I don’t want to give away too many Outward Bound secrets but the course was hands down the most enriching, challenging and amazing experience of my life.

Don't overthink the challenge ahead of you

Don't overthink the challenge ahead of you

Dealing with the unexpected
Don’t get me wrong, there were times when I felt completely out of my depth. But that’s what life is all about and how each of us chooses to handle it.

It’s about finding that sense of peace amid the hectic and distracting ‘outside’ world and really experiencing what it is to be alive, to feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins as you make space in your life for new people and exciting adventures.

 

Doing something different
Post course I have also enjoyed having this time to reflect and have a new appreciation for what lies right here in my own backyard. My aim now that I am home is to explore more of New Zealand and become a weekend adventurer!

I am also making a conscious effort to spend less time on social media and my phone (if you need me I’ll be in the bush).

We all need to do something each day that scares us; something different. Sit in a different seat on the bus, walk a different way to work, discover places you never would have otherwise.

We need to make sure we admire the teapot and also enjoy the tea.