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becoming a female adventurer

One Gal’s Guide to Becoming a Female Adventurer

“I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.”

I should think so — in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”

~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Alex Charters becoming a female adventurer.
Me leaving the Shire.

I have always considered myself a hobbit. I’m small in stature, have creepy feet (thank you Dad for always pointing that out), and have a great respect for breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper – to which I would never be late. But hobbits, bless their souls, prefer a quiet and peaceful life.

Bilbo going on an adventure.Now there’s nothing wrong with that, but I hope to be more of an adventuring Bilbo Baggins type (Frodo was annoying, we all know it) of a hobbit myself. After reading an incredible article by Katie Arnold on how to raise brave girls, I began to question my adventuring.

In her article, Arnold talks about how starting at a young age, girls are more heavily cautioned than boys – that girls became so focused on perfection, that things became all or nothing. That bravery was considered the purview of boys and men (not female hobbits), and girls were taught it was cute to be scared (another great article).

Alex Charters
Gun Show (may not of understood flexing).

As a child, I used to pose, biceps flexed and say “I could be a boy!”.  I once peed standing up just to prove I could (yeah, it’s a weird visual). Looking back, I realize it was a bit sad that to my 8 year old brain, being strong, capable, fearless, brave – meant being a boy. I hoped (in vain) that my rebellious child heart meant Arnold’s article didn’t apply to me.

But as I read on I began relating more and more. In her article, Arnold shares how girls are driven and pressured to look pretty, be perfect, and be liked at all costs. I don’t know when it happened to me, but it did. Who doesn’t want to be pretty or well liked? But wanting that, craving that, changes the way you interact with the world. I never want to put people out so I’m always saying “no thank you”. Even stupid things, like if someone offers me a glass of water- “oh no thanks, I’m fine”. My reflexive reaction to everything somehow became no.

But I had always thought I was a confident person, so was my no-ing just a result of good manners? Or was it something else? Was I at risk of becoming a regular hobbit? How could I be cool hobbit like Bilbo?

Comfort Zone vs Adventure

Taken from Carolina Paul’s new book The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure, Arnold suggests doing acts of micro-bravery. I loved the term ‘micro’ because really, it’s not every day you come across a three headed dog (eye roll Gryffindors).

So no more fighting dragons or going on long hikes with rings. Because it’s not about the big stuff, it’s about the micro stuff.

Here is a lil story about how saying yes to microbravery paid off.


becoming a female adventurer
Brit enjoying the view.

While living in Munich some friends and I decided to go on a hike in the German alps (I’m more like Frodo than I would like to admit). Nearing the end of our five hour hike we ran into an older German couple taking a break from their mountain bikes. They seemed nice and asked us if we would like to go on another hike with them, pointing to a nearby mountain. Excited by the notion, my friends agreed and we began following this couple.

First of all, no one seemed to find this strange except me. I mean, come on, we were in Germany for Christ’s sake – HAD NO ONE READ HANSEL AND GRETEL!? Not wanting to alarm anyone, I kept my suspicious thoughts to myself. I was enjoying the scenery on our way into this potential death trap anyway. Jorg and Ingeborg (suspiciously German sounding names, I know) turned out to be absolutely lovely. They took us to these incredible suspension bridges and told us all about the history and stories surrounding them. At some point, we invaded Austria (no big deal).

becoming a female adventurer in the German Alps
becoming a female adventurer in the German Alps.

Later Ingeborg offered for me to try her bike, to which I of course said ‘no thank you’. But my friend Danny accepted Jorg’s invitation to try his bike, and being the rebellious 8 year old I still am, I changed my answer. And thank goodness I did say yes, because this bike was freaking incredible. It probably cost more than my tuition, but man was it worth it. I didn’t even know bike’s could feel like that.

I effortlessly biked uphill, I repeat UP-FREAKING-HILL, bouncing over tree roots and gliding over dirt. Breathing in the clean foresty air of the mountains, we eventually came to a paved road. Naturally, I lightly applied the brakes so I didn’t, you know, die. But then I saw stuuupid carefree Danny whizzing down the mountain. So hesitantly, I let go of my brakes. Flying down the mountain, smiling from ear to ear, I could hear nothing but wind. Thoughts of breaking my neck or my mangled body being found left my mind entirely.
All I could think was “wow, this is living”.


Taking the steps to becoming a female adventurer.
Me, embarking on an adventure.

While on my adventures I now make a conscious effort to not be less of a ‘girl’, but to not be the girl society put in a box, set far aside from adventure. I now say yes to that offered glass of water (pretty gutsy of me, I know).

So to my dear reader, especially the ladies, it’s okay to be polite or crave perfection. Just don’t let that, or anything else, stop you from choosing to be brave – in whatever form that may take for you. Whether it be hobbit hikes or trying something new. Practice microbravery. Say yes. Be a Bilbo.
Be an adventurer.

Written by:
Alex Charters
Published on:
June 3, 2016
Thoughts:
20 Comments

Categories: Alex Charters, All Aboard!, Around the World, Canada, Europe, Germany, Our Travelers, Roamancing, Roamancing the Soul, The Red Boot DiariesTags: bravery, Germany, hiking, mountains

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lynn

    June 3, 2016 at 7:11 pm

    FABOULOUSLY written, Alex!

    Reply
    • Alex Charters

      June 16, 2016 at 6:59 am

      You’re too sweet Lynn!!

      Reply
  2. Mike Ulmer

    June 16, 2016 at 4:31 am

    What a girl. One of the great, loving people in the planet.

    Reply
    • Alex Charters

      June 16, 2016 at 7:00 am

      Thanks Mike!!

      Reply
  3. Gessell

    June 17, 2016 at 10:53 am

    Love the post. Sentiments that I hope to pass on to my little girl as she grows up.

    Reply
    • Alex Charters

      June 17, 2016 at 12:22 pm

      Love your comment!! And thanks for reading 🙂

      Reply
  4. Shelby

    July 6, 2016 at 11:01 am

    Great, great article. Very inspiring, especially as a woman who is determined not to “annoy” others, like I am myself. Thank you for the hope of living a fuller life!

    Reply
    • Erica Hargreave

      July 6, 2016 at 2:44 pm

      Thanks Shelby. Alex is wonderful young woman. I’m a little confused by your comment with regards to ‘a woman who is determined not to “annoy” others’ – why would any woman (or man) set out to annoy others?

      Reply
      • Shelby

        July 6, 2016 at 3:31 pm

        Haha, no that is not what I meant. I mean that I live my life so worried about annoying others that I often don’t speak my mind or be my fullest self in order not to offend or annoy. I mean I am determined *not* to annoy others, but sometimes that hinders me negatively.

        Reply
        • Alex Charters

          July 14, 2016 at 12:07 pm

          Haha I’m with you Shelby! It’s a hard line to walk trying to be true to yourself while still wanting to be accepted. Keep up the good fight 🙂

          Reply
  5. JoAnne Silvia

    July 6, 2016 at 8:40 pm

    I thoroughly enjoyed this article. Your references to Lord of the Rings and your writing style made it a pleasure. So many ways to practice microbravery whether on a swinging bridge or quitting my job to be an artist/writer!

    Reply
    • Alex Charters

      July 14, 2016 at 12:10 pm

      Haha thank you!! And always great to hear from a fellow LoTR nerd

      Reply
  6. Alex Charters

    July 14, 2016 at 12:08 pm

    I’m really glad you thought so! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Samith

    August 14, 2016 at 4:33 am

    Nice to read your story. The picture of the hiking in German alps looks stunning. You should come to Nepal and hike to the Himalayas here. It will be wonderful experience.

    Reply
    • Alex Charters

      August 14, 2016 at 8:24 pm

      Thank you! And definitely putting it on my hiking bucket list!

      Reply
  8. Alex Charters

    August 14, 2016 at 8:23 pm

    Haha I love everything about your comment. Thank you! Hope to be posting some more soon 🙂

    Reply
  9. Eric Gamble

    October 10, 2016 at 2:14 pm

    1st of all: Bilbo > Frodo!!
    2nd: I love this article, sometimes the hardest part is just taking that first step but once you do it is so worth it! Now that I am 40, I realized that I love that nervous feeling you get in your stomach right before you do something that is considered scary! Why? Because it is so rare that it happens anymore. Life as you get older because so trained, rote, and boring! Therefore, I love that nervous feeling cause it means I am doing something awesome!
    3rd: Your pics are amazing, I love that bridge! Guess another thing to add to my Bucketlist!

    Reply
    • Alex Charters

      February 13, 2017 at 12:20 pm

      I’m so sorry I thought I replied to this comment before! YES to bilb>frodo debate. I couldn’t agree more about the nervous feeling- I love it as much as it still terrifies me. And I hope you get to make it Austria one day!

      Reply
  10. William

    February 9, 2017 at 7:21 am

    MARVELOUS post. Alex.

    Reply
    • Alex Charters

      February 13, 2017 at 12:17 pm

      Thank you!!

      Reply

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