My body was exhausted. The weekend stretched me beyond my comfort zone, and it was only Saturday morning. The words pouring out of the presenter’s mouth pulled me further into discomfort.

“She chose a better story.”

He spoke of a family concerned about their rebellious child. They lamented because they had done everything to provide an ideal upbringing. In so doing, they misplaced their sense of adventure and life assumed a predictable pattern.

To be fair, I have lived in seasons where predictable was my most coveted dream. That wasn’t the point of this story. Predictable wasn’t the problem. Lack of adventure and the impact that has on the story we live was the focus.

I couldn’t remember the last time I prioritized adventure. Routines ran like movies through my head. I saw lots of idle time filled with mindless television, putting out small fires, and keeping order for the sake of structure. Adventure had long fallen asleep.

Resolve to live a better story bubbled up to overflowing. I was determined to chase adventure outside the lines that once felt protective, but now felt restrictive. No more sleeping through life.

A little more than a month ago, I presented a dream of mine to the world. I was frightened by potential responses, but everything in me was [busting at the seams] excited about the #sowkind movement.

Adventure was a natural by-product of preparing each note and anticipating its delivery. I politely invited each family member to join in, but wasn’t about to insist on participation. Rejection managed to wiggle in and become a fear I preferred to avoid.

As time stood still in the conference room where I sat this past weekend, I tried to get clear about the kind of story we were living as a family. Our story was nice, but largely without risk. That’s when a simple idea hit me. We could live a better story with one small adjustment. I couldn’t wait to return home and share my idea with my husband and children.

We would go on #sowkind adventures. I honestly didn’t care if we landed on once a month, or once a week. I just wanted to live a life that included risk, faith, and adventure. The sleeper in me awakened and I would not let sleep return so easily–no matter how my family responded [though I anticipated it being good].

Hours after returning, we gathered around the table and discussed ideas for our first adventure. I can’t say enthusiasm drove the brainstorming or subsequent actions, but willingness overcame desire that evening.

We decided to write and deliver a #sowkind note to a stranger. Each family member contributed something heartfelt that formed a letter I would appreciate receiving! Then, we loaded up the car and drove to a nearby store parking lot. After driving around the parking lot [looking all kinds of shady] for a few minutes, we selected the car that would become home to our letter.

The level of excitement rose as questions poured out.

Which car should we choose?

What if the note blows away?

Can we stay and wait to see who gets the note?

What if someone takes it off the car?

Who’s going to get out and put it on the windshield?

What if someone sees us?

We were experiencing adventure, which we chased outside the lines of our normal story. Our adventure wasn’t determined by an outcome. If the note blew off, oh well. If the person getting the note threw it away, so be it.

As we drove home, the atmosphere in the car was different. Ideas for our next #sowkind adventure swirled with a new level of participation. Before we pulled in our driveway, we had settled on the details of our next outing. My heart swelled. We had lived a better story that day. Not one of us would soon forget what happened that night.

Do you feel like you’re sleeping through life? Wake up. It’s not too late to choose a better story. You don’t have to have passports and big budgets to live a better story. Don’t buy into that junk. Adventure lives next door, down the street, in your grocery store, and in the waiting room. Step outside your comfort zone. Be bold. Love extravagantly.

Today is the perfect day to live a better story!

Who knows, maybe your courage will awaken another sleeper…