One of the best possible feelings is waking up in another city with the entire day ahead of you to create at your leisure. I don't think I've ever been happier than on the days where the view from my window is unfamiliar and the opportunity to try new restaurants is endless.

It's easy to get dragged down sometimes by the monotony of life. It's easy to wake up every day and do the same things over and over: coffee, class, completing assignments. As a college student it's difficult to get out of your routine, you have to put time and effort into your education and in your free time you're likely working to afford your education or finally catching a break to live a little. We are young people, our entire lives are ahead of us, and yet often times we can't afford to live while we're young. We should be explorers. We should get out of our comfort zones and into the world.

It's not as easy as packing a back and hitting the road though, exploring takes a certain spirit. Being an explorer doesn't mean you're always on a plane to some exciting location, it means you're curious. You wonder things about the world and you find new ways to get excited about life. Never tried that restaurant on the corner that always seemed interesting? Try it. Always wanted to see the inside of that academic building you pass on the way to your morning classes? Go inside. Being an explorer doesn't have to be expensive, it doesn't have to be challenging, you just have to look at the world a little differently. Being an explorer means you find a zest for life, and ignite a type of passion in your daily living that makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning.

I invite you to become an explorer. I invite you to wake up and be excited. I invite you to bring a sense of intention into your life, when we stop living out of habit our lives become more interesting. The stories we tell become richer, the memories we create become more vibrant, and our quality of life becomes happier by far. Take a few moments this week to allow yourself to discover the hidden gems in your world, and let yourself explore something outside of your daily routine, your well-being will thank you.