Life can be unpredictable, and sometimes it can leave us feeling lost and without control. For Laura Kelley, this was the case when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2020. She had always been an adventurer, seeking out thrills like rafting, mountain biking, and skydiving in Colorado. But now she found herself struggling with mobility and independence.
Determined to reclaim her sense of agency, Kelley turned to extreme activities once again. However, Emily Hemendinger, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus warns against developing an addictive mentality towards risky activities. Hemendinger notes that constantly seeking out increasingly dangerous thrills can lead to a mindset of always needing to up the ante for enjoyment.
Instead, Hemendinger encourages individuals to find balance and not become consumed by the search for the next high-risk activity. It’s important to remember that life itself is an adventure worth embracing fully, and we don’t need to constantly seek out new ways to push ourselves to our limits.
Kelley believes that taking advantage of the opportunities and experiences that come our way is what truly makes life worth living. She encourages others to step outside their comfort zones and embrace all that life has to offer – whether it’s a gentle hike or a heart-pounding skydiving session. Ultimately, it’s up to each individual to decide what kind of adventure they want in their lives – but one thing is clear: there are always new opportunities waiting just around the corner if we’re willing to take them on.
