It doesn’t always have to be planned. It doesn’t always have to be epic. Sometimes, simply getting outside, into nature, doing something new, going somewhere unexpected or looking with fresh eyes is all you need.

In such fashion, i’m a big advocate for short & sweet. Get out for a walk around the block between meetings. Wander to your nearest lake or beach for a quick icy dip. Drive a different route. Whatever your flavour, there’s no shame in taking pleasure in the small but measurable effort of taking 5 from you day to experience something different.

For myself, I like to do something new. It can be as small as cycling a different route home or as big as summiting a new hill (or mountain on a really really big day).

This particular day, my short & sweet was an unexpected line. Two of us were skiing resort, the snow was average and the lifts queues were long. We had an hour free. But knowing our backcountry gear was in our packs, we decided skin up a nearby ridge.

30 minutes later and *only a little* puffed, we were on top of Pointe de Ripaille. Transitioning at the top, the peaks of Dents du Midi dominating the skyline felt a little closer. Taking in the views and after congratulating ourselves on making the small but mountable action to do something different, we skied back to resort.

Lifts visible, crowds close, but no-one to compete with for the first line down the face. Bliss!

So with just a little effort, a sense of adventure and a tight timeframe we reaped the rewards of stepping out of the familiar. Try challenge yourself tomorrow and see how you can add a healthy dose of adventure into your day!