There is a beautiful enigma at the heart of adventure learning.
We live in a hyper-connected, super-fast world.
And we know the world slows to a calmer pace when we spend time in beautiful, natural places, disconnect and put down our phones.
We feel at peace. Freed from distractions.
That peace and freedom then lets us re-connect with what is really important, the world around us, ourselves, our ambitions, our strengths, our potential.
Yet…
Whilst the pace of adventure learning might be ‘slow’ compared to hectic ‘normal’ life, the speed of change achieved can be staggering.
A few days of adventure learning can create the sort of change that otherwise might take weeks, months or years through other approaches.
So – on an Outward Bound program, you slow down to speed up. It reminds of a something my grandma used to say when I rushed something: ‘More haste, less speed’
I recently had the privilege of hearing from Alli – an excellent Outward Bound Instructor. She read a letter from a young lady from the group she led.
This young lady had been struggling to make connections and was wracked by anxiety.
But within a few days, she wasn’t relying on medications. She was connecting with other participants, and making commitments to herself that heralded major and lasting breakthroughs.
You have opened my eyes to how breathtaking the natural land is. We are lucky to live in such a beautiful place… in the last week I have learned many things. When all the tech and stresses of society are stripped back, we are all just people, trying to get by in the world. This experience has given me a completely different perspective. You have changed my life, and I will strive to live with complete altruism – as you do.
As the father of teenage kids, I know how hard and slow it can be to get them to see alternatives, to reflect on themselves, to change, to learn and to grow.
But stripped of the distractions and comforts of home, adventure learning becomes rocket fuel for change.
In the space of a week’s adventure learning, Alli helped this young lady achieve profound and positive change. It will stay with her forever.
Can you think of a time when you felt differently, quickly, whilst in nature and outside your comfort zone? I certainly can.
What changes do you want to see in the young people you know and love?
