We talk a lot about resilience in workshops, wellbeing plans, and leadership programs, but what does it actually look like when things go wrong? Well, as we all know, the highs and lows are the parts of life we recall the most, because they make the strongest emotions and memories. A lot of these memories we call ‘adventures’.
I used to think wellbeing was about balance. Eat well, move often, sleep more, breathe deeper. You know, the usual prescriptions. And for a while, those things were enough. But over the years, especially since starting a hiking and adventure company, I’ve realised that wellbeing isn’t just about managing stress or feeling calm. It’s about doing hard things on purpose. It’s about choosing the path with the hill, even when the flat trail looks tempting. Because on the other side of that hill… something changes.
This is a question I hear from time to time, not so much from the people out on the trail because they clearly already know the benefits, but from social media commenters who may not have ever experienced a paid hike before. But honestly, I get it. The trails are open to everyone, and yes, walking is free. However, there are some key differences between an independent hike and a group organised hike that these commenters aren’t aware of.
Let me just say it straight: getting old is not easy for me. There, I said it. It’s not the final statement of life, it’s not definitive or exclusive to all else, nor should it be taken as the entire value of my worth. But for anyone who has hit their mid 40s and maybe creeping into their late 50’s, there is research to support the fact that we decline faster around 44 and 60.
You know that feeling where everything is technically okay? You’re not sick, you’re not falling apart, you’re showing up, but something just feels… off? Welcome to the land of “fine.”
Consider this your digital welcome to Sri Lanka, where misty mountains meet golden coastlines, elephants roam freely, and warm smiles greet you at every turn. Our inaugural TSA tour through this incredible country was nothing short of extraordinary. In just over a week, we explored ancient temples, climbed sacred peaks by moonlight, swam in remote waterfalls, and ventured deep into rainforests. We sweated, laughed, stretched our limits, and grew closer both to each other and to Sri Lanka itself.
or most of my life, I moved fast. Productivity was my superpower, and I wore busyness like a badge of honour. My days were packed with work, training, studying, and adventuring. No matter what I was doing, I was constantly chasing the next goal, the next task, the next challenge. It felt good, like I was achieving something, but in hindsight, I can see the pattern I was trapped in.
I wasn’t making conscious choices. I was running on autopilot. I pushed myself hard, often to the point of burnout, making decisions out of habit rather than intention. I was great at getting things done, but not always great at making the choices that truly served me.
From the moment we enter the world, we’re taught to colour inside the lines. Follow the rules, stick to the path, don’t stray too far. Society gives us a framework to live within, always encouraging us to go to school, get a job, be productive, and generally stay in line. And while there are benefits to this system, it can also limit us.
We are expected to grow in controlled ways, much like a bonsai tree is pruned, shaped, and maintained for aesthetic perfection. But at what cost? What if the endless trimming of our wild edges is holding us back?
When we hear the word adventure, we often picture epic journeys involving summiting mountains, hacking through jungles, or diving into the unknown. We associate adventure with intrepid explorers and Hollywood heroes, risking it all in pursuit of something greater. But adventure isn’t just about the big, dramatic moments that may or may not feature a Hemsworth brother. Life itself is an adventure.
From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, we are measuring ourselves. Steps taken, calories burned, hours slept, heart rate, productivity levels, all things made possible by recent technology. But is it worth it? Somewhere along the way, our worth became tied to how many tasks we could tick off our to-do lists, how efficiently we could optimise ourselves, and how much closer we got to some arbitrary milestone.
And sure, structure has its benefits. It keeps society functioning, helps us set goals, and ensures that we move forward. But what happens when the structure starts controlling us rather than supporting us?
If there’s one thing our culture loves to do, it’s glorify busyness. It’s all about the hustle, the grind, performing, achieving—until we hit a wall. Burnout sneaks up on us, and suddenly, we feel disengaged, exhausted, and flat. Then, the “solutions” that our culture gives us aren’t truly helpful, making us more likely to fall into that sneaky burnout yet again. It’s not about taking a break so you can dive back into the chaos. The real answer is micropauses: small but powerful disruptions that help you realign, reset, and move forward with purpose.
Have you ever felt like you were just going through the motions? Like life had become a never-ending cycle of to-do lists, responsibilities, and measuring up? You’re not necessarily unhappy, but you’re not exactly excited either. You’re somewhere in the middle, stuck in the “blah” zone. Maybe you’re feeling that way right now.
Most of the people that come on our tours come by themselves. Our community is built on friendships that have been made on our trips, experiencing something life changing together, the shared memories and also goals to do more in the future! We encourage people not to be anxious about coming on these trips by yourself as we promise you will leave with some like minded friends and be really glad you made the decision to get out of your comfort zone and join in.
Our community is our backbone. We have had so many people start with no hiking experience, basic fitness and not knowing anyone on our trips. These same people have gone on to do some incredible multi day hiking trips with us and their friends they have met in our community. Witnessing the development of their fitness, confidence, experience, friendships and happiness is why we do what we do. Come join us and let us help you get from the couch to the top of the mountain!
Experiences, not things. The moments that take your breath away. The feeling of accomplishment and the realisation that you are capable of so much more than what you thought. The views that blow your mind and the ticking off of bucket list items. We take all the hard work out of it for you. We organise the lot so you can just turn up and get the best of your experience without all the headaches of organising/logistics. We make it easy for you to do all the thing you want to do – you just need to turn up and be ready to jump into life!