The adventures continue as co-hosts, Tracy Pattin (SizzleintheMiddle.com) and Lisa Greenfield (TruthinHand.com) venture down the Man path with guest and Relationship Confidant, Jonathon Aslay.

Adventures come in all shapes and sizes AND appear in all types of places. One of the most powerful is an INNER ADVENTURE. Listen to Inner Guide, Mary Hoffman explain her powerful techniques to guide you through the depths of your inner being to discover new parts of yourself. In part 1 of Inner Midlife Adventure with Mary Hoffman, Mary talks about the process of using the dominant and non-dominant hand to tap into our subconscious. In part 2, Mary talks about connecting with our body through the subconscious. In Part 3, Mary talks about connecting with the spirit. It’s an adventure you won’t want to miss. And now in part 4 Mary talks about Shadow Work; where we explore our judgments of others and how we can learn more about ourselves in the process.

Adventure Tip: Resist the urge to constantly go “Out There” to reinvent yourself. Include an “Inner Adventure” to your adventurizing.

-Tracy Pattin

Adventures come in all shapes and sizes AND appear in all types of places. One of the most powerful is an INNER ADVENTURE. Listen to Inner Guide, Mary Hoffman explain her powerful techniques to guide you through the depths of your inner being to discover new parts of yourself. In part 1 of Inner Midlife Adventure with Mary Hoffman, Mary talks about the process of using the dominant and non-dominant hand to tap into our subconscious. In part 2, Mary talks about connecting with our body through the subconscious. And now in Part 3, Mary talks about connecting with the spirit. It’s an adventure you won’t want to miss.

Adventure Tip: Resist the urge to constantly go “Out There” to reinvent yourself. Include an “Inner Adventure” to your adventurizing.

-Tracy Pattin

Click Here For Inner Midlife Adventures Part 4

With the opening of “Eat, Pray, Love” today, travel is on my mind. When I look back on all those amazing adventures across the globe I did in my 20s and 30s, I’m so grateful to my dad for giving me the opportunity through my airline passes to see the world. And so grateful that I wrote all those travel diaries to keep reliving the great memories. (and now in midlife, I’m ready for more adventures!) Here is an excerpt from my book about adventures of all kinds from across the globe to on my couch:

Tribute To My Dad

I can’t cry. I will not cry. Just breathe. I took a breath. It was my turn to
remember my dad.

December 20, 2008. As I looked around the chapel, my brothers, sisters, my
dad’s longtime companion, and all of his friends were waiting for me to
share my memories. I glanced at the picture on the altar next to his urn, in
his airline uniform, in the cockpit, smiling. I began. “My dad loved flying
more than anything else. He was in heaven at 35,000 feet, every time he
went to work for American Airlines. In fact, in the hospital he told the
doctor he was in the cockpit, and he thought the nurses were flight
attendants. He gave me that gift. The passion for flying. For travel. For
adventure.”

Then, I picked up the YES! book and turned to Chapter 1. “I think this really
sums up why my dad and I had such a love to see the world.” I began to
read. “I love this moment, the engines roaring down the runway…” As I
read the passage, it was like I was taking off on another adventure. I
continued reading. “…and then it happens. That breakthrough moment when
clouds give way to bright sun. We’re racing across the sky, the white
nothingness below and bright blue above turn into one fabulous magic
carpet ride.” I paused, looking around at all the smiles in the room. “And I
know right now my dad is on his own fabulous magic carpet ride.”

I closed the book. With my dad’s life complete, I felt somewhat complete.
So grateful for my wanderlust. My desire to see the world…Or maybe I’m
just beginning another giant adventure.

I hope this book inspires your adventurous spirit like my dad inspired mine.

Stay tuned for part 2 Excerpts From theYES!book. Sahara Adventure.

-Tracy Pattin©2010

Adventures come in all shapes and sizes AND appear in all types of places. One of the most powerful is an INNER ADVENTURE. Listen to Inner Guide, Mary Hoffman explain her powerful techniques to guide you through the depths of your inner being to discover new parts of yourself. In part 1 of Inner Midlife Adventure with Mary Hoffman, Mary talks about the process of using the dominant and non-dominant hand to tap into our subconscious. In part 2, Mary talks about connecting with our body through the subconscious. It’s an adventure you won’t want to miss.

Click Here for Part 3 Connecting with the Spirit

Adventure Tip: Resist the urge to constantly go “Out There” to reinvent yourself. Include an “Inner Adventure” to your adventurizing.

-Tracy Pattin

Adventures come in all shapes and sizes AND appear in all types of places. One of the most powerful is an INNER ADVENTURE. Listen to Inner Guide, Mary Hoffman explain her powerful techniques to guide you through the depths of your inner being to discover new parts of yourself. It’s an adventure you won’t want to miss. In part 1, Mary talks about connecting with the mind.

Adventure Tip: Resist the urge to constantly go “Out There” to reinvent yourself. Include an “Inner Adventure” to your adventurizing.

Click here for Part 2 Connecting with the body.

Click here for part 3 Connecting with the Spirit

-Tracy Pattin

As I continue to say, “Adventures come in all shapes and sizes.”  I was on Facebook the other day when I saw an opportunity to review an indie film and write a blog piece about it. I jumped at the chance and before I knew it, my screener (DVD of the film) was in my mailbox. My (unexpected) adventure was about to begin.

As I sat down to watch Night Before the Wedding written and produced by David Branin, I had certain preconceived notions.  After all, it’s a movie about a bachelor party, the night before the wedding. (and I did wonder, isn’t this night supposed to be the night of the rehearsal dinner?)

As the story unfolds, there are the usual bachelor party antics; drinking, the constant use of the f-word, beer pong, sex talk, men competing with each other, even tying up an unexpected guest. Being a woman, I wasn’t sure if I could connect. At one point I almost stopped watching thinking this story wasn’t going anywhere. But there was something about these characters that kept me wanting to know more, wondering what was really going on beneath the surface. I could see it in their eyes. There was this vulnerability in each man, beneath all the drinking, swearing and razzing. I could sense there was so much more going on here. I was hooked.

Bronco, (Gregor Collins) the host of the party, was the cheerleader of the bunch, keeping his guests happy and talking up what was going to happen at 9pm. You guessed it. Strippers. Well, more than strippers. Porn stars. The guys now were jumping out of their seats, thrilled at the thought of being in their very own, real life porn movie (except for the married guy).

Then the groom walks in. Will (John Keating) is a suit and tie guy. Sweet. Straight laced, fun loving. He clearly wasn’t up for partying, not wanting to be hung over on his wedding day. He wanted go home and play pinochle with his parents. But, Bronco talked him into staying. When the best man Bobby (Johnny Giordano) arrives, already a little drunk, Will warns him to “slow down.”  Will was determined to have the perfect wedding. It was apparent, he was not your stereo-typical groom. He couldn’t wait to marry the woman of his dreams. For him, it was more about building a life, than taking away his freedom. It was clear he wasn’t going to stay at the bachelor party much longer…

Initially I thought, this is why I chose to be single. So many men are just shallow and immature about relationships. But these men were starting to prove me wrong. My unexpected adventure was becoming clear. I had to stay open, willing to keep watching and connecting.

As 9:00 pm approaches, the bachelor party antics turn serious when the police arrive. They leave and the Porn stars show up. As they start doing their lap dances, Will wants no part of it. But then, the temptation and peer pressure starts to wear him down. (By the way, we never see much more than lap dancing)

This night before the wedding goes from the quintessential bachelor party to a group of men looking deeper into themselves and their relationships with each other.  Each man is struggling with his own issues; One still a virgin, another one grappling with addiction, one in desperate financial trouble, then one man faces his unbearable guilt, and another faces incredible remorse.

In the end, Will goes through a huge unexpected transformation of his own on this night, leaving us wondering what his wedding day will be like.

Just like Will’s inner adventure of transformation, I was surprised by my own, beginning with certain expectations, and in the end being profoundly moved by the characters (and talented cast) in this intriguing indie film.

Adventure Tip: Even if you have preconceived notions about your adventure, stay with it for awhile. It might surprise you, even transform you in a way you never expected.

-Tracy Pattin

Just think if these people gave up and never Adventurized their lives? Not only would Lucille Ball, Michael Jordan, The Beatles, Walt Disney, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Thomas Edison, and the others) have missed out, we all would have…in BIG WAYS!

Adventure Tip: Next time you’re tempted to NOT step out and take that adventure, watch this video again and again and again…

-Tracy Pattin

“It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves – in finding themselves.” Andre´Gide

As we step out of our comfort zone and into our adventure zone doors open to wonderful new experiences in our midlife lives. We meet new people, do things we may have never done before and most importantly, we get to know other parts of ourselves.

Adventurizing makes us stretch and grow. When we’re out of our comfort zone we test ourselves in uncharted territories. The result? We’re stronger, more confident and often willing to keep stepping out of that comfort zone.

Our comfort zone begins switch places with our adventure zone. Living in our comfort zone becomes less appealing as we gravitate to new adventures.

Adventure Tip: Step out of your comfort zone and into your adventure zone. The more you live in your adventure zone, the richer your midlife life will be and the less you’ll want to live in your comfort zone.

-Tracy Pattin

It’s proving to be true. The more you step out and Adventurize Your Midlife, the more the adventures step up to greet you.

A friend invited me to attend a memorial service last weekend because he didn’t want to go alone. I didn’t know the person who had passed away, but I was up for the experience.

We arrived early at the beautiful beachfront center in Santa Monica. There were lots of people mingling. It was different than your normal Saturday evening gathering. But everyone was upbeat, smiling almost as if they didn’t really know how else to be. The French woman next to me was a student of hers. Of course she asks, “So how do you know Kathryn?”

It felt a little strange to say “I don’t know the woman.” So I pointed to my friend and let him take the floor explaining he was a student of hers too. Her death was sudden and unexpected so there was this giant elephant in the room that no one wanted to notice.

As I looked over I saw two young children, the older one, head down in tears. I wondered if she was her daughter. But it was clear the woman comforting her was her mom. I was relieved (the girl was her grand niece).

This unexpected adventure was quickly weaving itself into a blanket of adventures as I just took it all in.  It was as if I wandered into a slice of life that I wasn’t a part of.  In spite of not being a friend or family member,  somehow I felt connected to everyone in the room.

The service started with Kathryn’s best friend, Carol. She took us through her life with Kathryn over 30 years of friendship. I began to know this woman. Who she was behind the slide show of pictures. Carol summed everything up by sharing the powerful lessons she learned from her friend. She talked about Kathryn’s favorite metaphor for leading a more spiritual life- gardening. She talked about Kathryn often saying we must tend to our garden every day, pulling out those weeds. She said the weeds will always come back- equating those with our dark moments, our struggles. We just have to keep gardening.

Carol finished by saying we must replace fear with love.

Then, Kathryn’s friends and family spoke. Her grand niece shared a touching poem about her aunt. I kept thinking about my nieces and nephews realizing the impact we Aunts and Uncles have on kids.

At the end of the service, Kathryn’s life partner spoke so eloquently about her life with Kathryn. I was astounded by her courage and inspired by the love pouring out of this grieving woman.

I left this adventure, so grateful to have been a part of something so special and walked away unexpectedly filled up with… life.

Adventure Tip: Never stop adventurizing. Never stop gardening…and weeding.

-Tracy Pattin