August 12, 2025 • 29 mins
What if your next great adventure didn’t require plane tickets or perfect knees—just a yes? In this laughter-packed, mud-splashed episode, Erica and Rusty paddle into the jungles of Isla Cristóbal, trip over their own feet (and fears), and discover what it really means to find adventure—no GoPro required.
You’ll meet toddlers who become jungle guides, a canoe that still carries water long after it stops carrying people, and a version of you that’s ready to wake up and get messy. From accidental mud baths to sacred cacao ceremonies, this episode is equal parts heart, humor, and holy faceplants.
🌿 Whether you're craving transformation or just a taste of something wild, this one’s for you.
🎶 Cue the marimba. Raise your metaphorical coconut. Let’s toast to the sacred mess of becoming.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Picture this. You're gliding through the green
glass water off E la Cristobal in a weathered boat with a
patched up outboard motor and a suspiciously wobbly seat.
The kind of boat that carried generations.
Fishermen, grandmothers, giggling toddlers, all of them
sliding across the same waters with the same hope in their
(00:24):
eyes. You dunk at a jungle edge so
lush it looks like someone turned the saturation all the
way up. And waiting there, like
something out of a storybook, isa row of dugout canoes hand
carved from native trees. The only thing on your mind is
(00:49):
ad venture. Welcome to The Latitude
Adjustment, the podcast where aging isn't a slow fade, it's a
bold freaking encore. Join Rusty and Erica, 2 Rebel
Hearted guides with a suitcase full of stories, a camera, a
compass, and 0 tolerance for boring self help.
(01:10):
They're not here to fix you, They're here to remind you you
were never broken. So whether you're craving
clarity, connection, or just a passport stamp for your next
chapter, you've docked at the right port.
Grab your sun hat, loosen your grip on the grind, and get ready
to chart a new course. Mind, body and soul.
This is the latitude adjustment.Welcome back, aging heroes.
(01:37):
Welcome back, back to those canoes.
One of them had smoother curves than Beyoncé.
OK, you can touch the canoes, but hands off Beyoncé, all
right? Well, I did run my hand down its
side this. Side of the canoe, Right.
Correct. OK, carry on.
And I asked one of the tribal guys how long a dugout canoe can
(01:59):
last. He smiled and told me that the
tree it was made from took 30 years to grow.
Wow, it's amazing. Yeah, the canoe might last 20
years, he said, if the sea was kind.
OK. And then, he added, after that
it becomes a through or a basin.They don't waste the old ones.
(02:21):
They still carry water even if they can't carry people.
That line, it stayed with us, a canoe past its prime, still
serving, still holding water. That's the spirit we're
channeling today. This episode is called Find
Adventure and it's not about white knuckle throw rides,
(02:42):
unless that's your vibe. It's about choosing to show up
even when you feel weathered andworn.
It's about believing you're still useful, still worthy,
still water bearing, even if you're paddling, days are behind
you. You know adventure isn't some
bougie escape package. It's a mindset, A rebellion, a
(03:05):
whisper that says you're not done yet.
Are you sure we can't revisit that bougie escape package you
said that? Are you ready for a bougie
escape package? You said that's out.
We've been duped, sold this cinematic idea that adventure
requires plane tickets, gopros and a protein bar that tastes
(03:27):
like regret. But what if real adventure looks
more like a muddy jungle trail than a curated Instagram feed?
Like following barefoot toddlersup a cacao path, having no idea
what's ahead but going anyway. That's what we did on the way to
(03:48):
Noba Chocolate Farm. 2 tribal 3 year olds just sprinted towards
us, grabbed our hands and LED usinto the green unknown like we
belong there. You know, no directions, no
translation, just giggles. Frogs, not the poisonous ones
and leaves the size of serving plates.
(04:10):
That was an adventure with a capital A.
That was wonder served barefoot,jungle wrapped and joy forward.
And I'll tell you what, we didn't see that moment coming
when we packed our bags, but it was better than anything we
could have planned. The real adventure wasn't just
(04:30):
in the cacao or the canoes, right?
It was in surrender, in being led by joy instead of.
Absolutely why adventure matters, especially now.
You know what science says? That seeking novelty is a secret
sauce for staying sharp. Your brain loves newness, even
(04:53):
small, messy newness. That's because every new
experience lights up your brain like a birthday cake, even small
ones. A different routine at home, A
spontaneous conversation, a walkwithout your phone.
And yeah, you might trip. I tripped an embarrassing number
of times on that jungle hike. Oh, just wait till you all hear
(05:15):
about that. I'm convinced the monkeys were
laughing at you, Rusty. The point is, novelty keeps us
curious. That's right.
And curiosity is the first cousin of courage.
The more you chase it, the more the world opens up to you.
Somewhere along the way, we started believing adventure had
(05:37):
an expiration date, right? That it belonged to the young,
the fit, the untethered. But here's the truth.
Adventure belongs to anyone who still wants to feel something
real. I think you should say that
again, because that's important.Adventure belongs to you if you
want to feel something real. That's right.
(05:58):
Even if you're tired. Even if you've failed.
Even if your idea of a bold new experience is ordering spicy
salsa instead of mild. Life isn't for the fading.
It's for blazing, for reinventing, for grinding cacao
on sacred stone and realizing the best things in life.
(06:21):
They take time. You've still got stories to
write, places to explore, flavors to taste.
You're not done. You are just heating up.
OK, let's name the culprits. What keeps people from pursuing
adventure? Fear busyness?
Sure, that voice that says what if I fall?
(06:44):
But that voice forgets to add What if I fly?
Yeah, What if you get muddy and lost and come out the other side
a little more alive? What about that?
That's not failure. That's growth.
That's the good kind of mess. And trust us, you don't need to
move to the jungle or paddle A dugout to get there.
(07:04):
Just say yes to something new. Start where you are, go as far
as you can, then keep going. Segment 1 Recap Jungle rules for
a wildlife. You got it, Let's bring it back
around. Adventure is a mindset, not a
luxury, right? It's made of small, bold choices
like follow wing a toddler into the trees.
(07:27):
New experiences feed your spiritand your brain.
Your second act isn't behind schedule.
It's right on time. So whether you're paddling into
the unknown or just finally learning how to salsa show up,
let's go get a little wild. In segment 2, we'll explore how
(07:47):
to spark adventure in your everyday life with micro
emissions, mindset flips, and some island proof brain science.
(08:17):
All right, aiding heroes. Let's talk about what really
makes someone adventurous. Spoiler alert, it's not the
gear. It's not the passport stamps,
and definitely not how many GoPro selfies you've posted from
a zip line. It's mindset, baby, pure and
(08:38):
simple. Adventure doesn't start in your
calendar, it starts between yourears.
Exactly. You don't need a new passport.
Although you do need a passport,you need a new perspective.
An adventurous mindset means staying open.
Open to surprises. Open to change.
(08:59):
Open to the possibility that thebest part of your day hasn't
even happened yet. It means swapping What if it
goes wrong for what if? This is the story I'll tell
forever. And look, we don't lose our
sense of adventure with age. We just start filtering
everything through fear, fatigue, or FOMO.
(09:23):
That's fear of missing out. That's right.
But your brain, it's still wiredfor wonder.
Neuroplasticity doesn't go Gray,it just gets bored if you don't
give it new toys. You've got to feed its moments
little hints of novelty, something that says, hey, we're
still here, we're still curious.So how do you keep your venture
(09:46):
muscles strong? You train them and one of the
best ways is micro adventures. That's right, we're talking tiny
disruptions with oversized impact.
Stuff like trying a food you can't pronounce, taking a new
course to the store, starting a conversation with that eccentric
(10:08):
neighbor who wears tie dye and sings to her tomato plants.
Do you remember those jungle toddlers from segment one?
Well, we're still not over it. That moment taught us this.
You don't need Agps to be led byjoy.
Sometimes your compass is a muddy little hand in yours.
(10:29):
And that's the thing, we didn't try to control the moment, We
didn't overthink it. We just let ourselves be LED.
Here's the real magic. When you do something new,
anything new, you activate the dopamine reward system in your
brain. Same circuit that lights up when
you fall in love or eat really good chocolate.
(10:52):
So yes, booking that kayak trip,learning how to juggle trying
salsa dancing in your garage literally rewires your brain for
joy. And don't underestimate the
serotonin boost from doing something slightly ridiculous.
Like me waltzing in the kitchen with our Labradoodle or getting
(11:14):
our kids Harry, Laney and Tallis.
Hi guys. To voice act the entire play of
A Christmas Carol. They love doing that with us,
didn't you guys? It's a true story, don't ask.
Point is, micro adventures are vitamins for your spirit.
They wake you up. They remind you that you're not
(11:35):
just surviving this life, you'rein it.
So what stops us? You want to know what shuts down
people's sense of adventure faster than a cold shower?
Over scheduling, yes. Under listening, yes.
And the evil twin of every good intention.
Say it, say it. I'm going to own it.
Perfectionism. That's right, we are so afraid
(11:58):
of looking foolish that we forget how good it feels to be
surprised. And then there's the phrase that
should come with a warning label.
You got it. I already know.
That phrase shuts the door on discovery.
And let me tell you, the most adventurous people we know
(12:19):
aren't the ones who've got all the answers.
They're the ones who show up curious, even when they don't
have a map. They follow the bread crumbs.
They make room for whatever comes their way.
Aging heroes. Challenge of the Week make one
(12:41):
bold shift. All right, heroes, so here's
your mission. Something that disrupts your
default mode. Make one shift this week.
Doesn't have to be dramatic, butit does have to be real.
Maybe it's cooking a new dish, starting a hard conversation,
dancing in your living room, or wearing something bright just
(13:04):
because. No, I've been doing that lately.
You have. Lots of compliments.
I always notice when you're wearing colors.
Maybe it's pausing at a fork in the road and saying what if I
went left instead? Whatever it is, make sure it
gives you that fluttery, fizzy feeling in your chest.
The one that's 50% nerves and 50% hell yes.
(13:28):
Because the more you train yourself to disrupt the script,
the more your brain and your life stays awake.
All right, so here, here's a segment to recap your brain on
bravery. Let's hit rewind.
Adventure starts in your mind, not your miles.
(13:49):
Micro adventures are many rebellions that supercharge your
soul. Disruption breeds joy.
And curiosity beats confidence every single time.
Coming up next in Segment 3, we are digging deeper into our most
transformational travel stories,Some epic, some awkward, all of
(14:12):
them packed with insight. Because sometimes the best
adventures don't ask permission,they just show up.
(14:42):
Welcome back, heroes. You know, some people think
adventure has to be about adrenaline.
Skydiving shark tanks running from bulls in tight pants.
I don't understand your fascination with bulls in tight
pants. You do understand moving on, but
the truth is real adventure. It's about transformation.
(15:05):
It's about those moments when you say yes to something wild
and you come out the other side a little different.
And sometimes with fewer toenails and a surprising rash.
Lovely dear, Speak for yourself all right.
Years ago I signed up for a 24 hour relay race across the
(15:25):
Hawaiian Islands. It was a Ragnar relay from Hilo
to Kona. I'd done a lot of running
before, but it never involved a minivan and 12 people I didn't
know and this slow evolution of it becoming a stinky mobile
(15:46):
locker room slash laugh factory.You can't come out of that kind
of van without either trauma, a new tattoo, or both.
I came out of that with a baton that celebrated the successful
win of our team. Oh baby.
It wasn't just about endurance, it was about showing up and
(16:10):
everything in me, said Erica. Just lie down and eat another
protein bar. I found strength I didn't know I
had. I found connection to real,
gritty, heartfelt connection. It was amazing.
There's just something sacred about sharing bananas and and
(16:33):
breakdowns at 3:00 AM with people who aren't going to let
you give up on yourself. You didn't just cross a finish
line, you crossed into a new version of yourself.
You got it. That's the kind of adventure
that sticks. I will remember those moments
forever. All right, my turn.
What you got for us? Once Upon a questionable
(16:54):
decision, I joined a full patch motorcycle club.
OK good. I was wondering which story you
were going to release with Questionable decision.
Because there have been many. There have been.
This is the part where the podcast past shifts genres.
Suddenly we're full blown Sons of Anarchy folks.
(17:18):
These bikers were pure grit, grease and emotional volatility.
Long rides, loud music, and a lot of leather that smelled like
destiny. Yummy.
I'd always loved motorcycles, but riding with a pack?
That was new territory. You were the oddball professor
(17:38):
with a helmet and a Kurt Vonnegut quote in your back
pocket. A friend.
Yep, they nicknamed me the Professor.
But here's what happened. That pack taught me how to be
present, how to drop the ego andlean into connection.
It wasn't always comfortable, but it was always real.
(18:00):
I learned that adventure can look like a sunrise on the back
of a Harley or helping someone broken down in the middle of
nowhere. Didn't that teach you about how
you do some kind of game where you bite wieners?
Moving on, baby. It was the weenie bite.
It was a contest. The girl on the back of the bike
(18:22):
tried to bite a weenie that was hanging from a string.
Moving on. You didn't just ride, you
belonged. You stretched into something
bigger. It wasn't a vacation, it was a
transformation, and it reminded me that the road doesn't care
about your resume. It cares if you show up and you
pay attention. Let's talk about your accidental
(18:45):
jungle dive. We're doing back-to-back rusty
stories now. You know what if the shoe fits?
If the weenie bite fits. All right, time for the splashy
one. True story.
I fell so many times on our jungle hike at the No Bay
Chocolate Farm. The tribespeople must have
thought I was under the influence.
(19:06):
It was like watching a National Geographic blooper reel in real
time. I absolutely kid you not.
We kept tracking deeper into thejungle, already soaked with
sweat and rainforest. I looked down for one second to
admire the river. Foot slipped.
(19:28):
Instant mud bath. We're all going to take a moment
right here and just pause for effect.
Yeah. He rose from the muck like a
bewildered swamp deity dripping with dignity.
Or maybe the lack thereof, mud and questionable foliage.
I smelled like ambition and amphibian funk for the next
(19:53):
three days, but you look. Like chocolate?
Delicious. Let me tell you that first fall,
it changed things. We slowed down after that.
We weren't tourists anymore. We were guests of the land.
That's when everything shifted. We arrived at the farm helping
each other up the slippery jungle path, and we were greeted
(20:15):
by women roasting cacao over fire and a stone that had ground
chocolate for 100 years. We sipped warm cacao made by
matriarchs under a thatched roof, surrounded by red dart
frogs and laughter. Watch out.
Adventure isn't always about forward motion.
(20:37):
Sometimes it's a plunge into something unplanned and holy.
Let's talk about why these stories matter.
Yeah, so here's the big truth. For most transformational
memories, they rarely start witha guarantee.
They start with a yes, a shaky hopeful, and sometimes, in
Rusty's case, a muddy yes. They happen when you step
(21:00):
outside the lines, outside the labels, and outside the script,
and you discover you're still becoming.
That relay race, it gave me perspective.
That motorcycle club, it reminded Rusty that growth
doesn't care what outfit you're wearing.
That's the kind of holy exhaustion that makes space for
(21:23):
growth. Adventure rarely feels
comfortable in the moment. Very true.
But it always leaves a mark. A good good 1A real 1.
So if you're waiting for a sign,consider this it the leap comes
first, the meaning follows with mud, laughter, and sometimes
(21:46):
it's OK, embarrassment. And honestly, that's what makes
it worth it. Segment 3 Recap Soul supplies
for your jungle backpack. You've got it.
In this segment, we shared real stories of transformation
through adventure. We reminded you that the plan
isn't the point. And showed how falling,
(22:07):
sweating, crying and yes, laughing are part of the good
kind of becoming OK heroes. Before we wrap this journey,
we've got one last stop on the trail.
It's muddy, it's meaningful, andit might just involve me face
planting in front of strangers again.
(22:28):
But it's not just about falling,it's about what you raise after
your head, your heart, maybe a coconut shell.
Coming up next, the Adventure Toast, our celebratory send off
for all the bold, bruised and beautifully alive souls tuning
in. You've earned this moment.
(22:49):
Let's raise a glass to the sacred mess and the stories
still unfolding. All right, heroes, raise your
(23:15):
metaphorical coconut shells, your stainless steel travel
mugs, or whatever vessel holds your courage juice today,
because it's time for the adventure toast.
This is the part of the episode where we pause, breathe deep,
and celebrate that messy, marvelous thing you just did.
(23:37):
You listened, you reflected. You laughed at my expense.
More than once. If there's one image that sums
up today's spirit of lean into the unknown, it's me in the
rainforest, sliding down a mud soaked jungle trail like a
clumsy water Buffalo. If you're wondering whether
(23:58):
slipping into a jungle mud puddle can be holy, just ask my
husband, Rusty. OK, quick recap of Rusty's many
falls in the jungle. Really, Leslie?
Let's recap it. First, fall puddle dive.
Second, betrayed by a tree. Third accidental jungle Trust
(24:21):
fall. Right enough.
I was testing gravity by the way.
OK. It's for science.
That second fall you reached outto grab a tree for balance.
The root detached like it had somewhere else to be.
That tree betrayed me. The third one was the best.
You tried to help me across a slick path and pulled both of us
(24:43):
into a coordinated jungle. Trust Fall.
That one, yeah, I can't even spin it.
That was straight up hubris. By the time we made it to the no
bake cacao clearing, you look like Hershey's.
And. Yet and yet.
(25:03):
That cacao couldn't have tasted sweeter.
You got it. There's something humbling and
weirdly holy about being welcomed by strangers while
covered in mud and humility. You've.
Got it. You weren't polished, you
weren't perfect, but you sure ashell were present.
And that's the whole damn point of today's episode.
(25:26):
All right, let's do the toast. Here's to you heroes, to the
ones who fell today. Metaphor, Berkeley or otherwise,
To the ones who tried something new, even if your inner critic
protested. To the brave weirdos like myself
who danced with the unknown, atethe strange food, asked a big
(25:48):
question, or chose yes over maybe later.
Here's to the mud on your boots,the goosebumps on your skin, the
butterflies in your chest. Here's to showing up without a
script, laughing when it goes sideways, and realizing that
falling doesn't mean failing, itjust means you're alive and
(26:09):
involved. And here's to all the ways
you'll keep exploring this week.Not by scaling mountains, but by
staying curious. By letting wonder interrupt your
schedule. By trusting the path will rise
to meet you, even if you have toslide down it on your ass a few
(26:31):
times to get there. To the slip UPS, to the soaked
shoes, to the sweet taste of something earned like jungle
roasted cacao after a hike that tried to eat your soul.
Raise your Shirley Temples heroes.
You did the thing. All right, let's do a Segment 4
(26:52):
recap. Let's look back, not to dwell,
but to honor how far we've all come together today.
In segment one, we paddled into the spirit of adventure and
redefined it not as a destination, but as a way of
moving through the world with openness and intention.
In segment 2, we talked about mindset, how micro adventures
(27:14):
rewire your brain, shake loose the dust, and remind you that
joy isn't a luxury, it's a choice.
In segment 3 we went full immersion.
Jungle slips, relay races, motorcycles and the sacred mess
of becoming adventure found us and we all said yes.
(27:35):
And here in Segment 4, we toasted every muddy misstep and
sweet discovery, because every story worth telling includes a
little dirt. And those Shirley Temples, they
were delicious. You don't need a machete to
blaze your jungle trail, just a willingness to look ridiculous
while doing something that makesyou feel alive.
(27:56):
So what? Happens after the leap, after
you say yes to life, mud and all.
What guides your steps forward? Next week we're getting into it.
The values, promises, and priorities that shape your
decisions. We're talking about building a
code of honor, not that is some rigid rulebook, but as a compass
(28:17):
for how you want to live, love, and lead.
Because adventure without intention can turn into chaos.
But when you combine courage with clarity, that's how legends
are born. You'll learn how to write your
own personal creed, something that helps you say yes to what
matters and no to what doesn't. We'll share our own examples.
(28:42):
And no, Rusties won't include. Avoid slippery roots.
But it should. Until then, heroes stay curious,
stay muddy. Why not?
And stay open to the wild, beautiful invitation that is
your one wild and precious life.
Picture this. You're gliding through the green
glass water off E la Cristobal in a weathered boat with a
patched up outboard motor and a suspiciously wobbly seat.
The kind of boat that carried generations.
Fishermen, grandmothers, giggling toddlers, all of them
sliding across the same waters with the same hope in their
(00:24):
eyes. You dunk at a jungle edge so
lush it looks like someone turned the saturation all the
way up. And waiting there, like
something out of a storybook, isa row of dugout canoes hand
carved from native trees. The only thing on your mind is
(00:49):
ad venture. Welcome to The Latitude
Adjustment, the podcast where aging isn't a slow fade, it's a
bold freaking encore. Join Rusty and Erica, 2 Rebel
Hearted guides with a suitcase full of stories, a camera, a
compass, and 0 tolerance for boring self help.
(01:10):
They're not here to fix you, They're here to remind you you
were never broken. So whether you're craving
clarity, connection, or just a passport stamp for your next
chapter, you've docked at the right port.
Grab your sun hat, loosen your grip on the grind, and get ready
to chart a new course. Mind, body and soul.
This is the latitude adjustment.Welcome back, aging heroes.
(01:37):
Welcome back, back to those canoes.
One of them had smoother curves than Beyoncé.
OK, you can touch the canoes, but hands off Beyoncé, all
right? Well, I did run my hand down its
side this. Side of the canoe, Right.
Correct. OK, carry on.
And I asked one of the tribal guys how long a dugout canoe can
(01:59):
last. He smiled and told me that the
tree it was made from took 30 years to grow.
Wow, it's amazing. Yeah, the canoe might last 20
years, he said, if the sea was kind.
OK. And then, he added, after that
it becomes a through or a basin.They don't waste the old ones.
(02:21):
They still carry water even if they can't carry people.
That line, it stayed with us, a canoe past its prime, still
serving, still holding water. That's the spirit we're
channeling today. This episode is called Find
Adventure and it's not about white knuckle throw rides,
(02:42):
unless that's your vibe. It's about choosing to show up
even when you feel weathered andworn.
It's about believing you're still useful, still worthy,
still water bearing, even if you're paddling, days are behind
you. You know adventure isn't some
bougie escape package. It's a mindset, A rebellion, a
(03:05):
whisper that says you're not done yet.
Are you sure we can't revisit that bougie escape package you
said that? Are you ready for a bougie
escape package? You said that's out.
We've been duped, sold this cinematic idea that adventure
requires plane tickets, gopros and a protein bar that tastes
(03:27):
like regret. But what if real adventure looks
more like a muddy jungle trail than a curated Instagram feed?
Like following barefoot toddlersup a cacao path, having no idea
what's ahead but going anyway. That's what we did on the way to
(03:48):
Noba Chocolate Farm. 2 tribal 3 year olds just sprinted towards
us, grabbed our hands and LED usinto the green unknown like we
belong there. You know, no directions, no
translation, just giggles. Frogs, not the poisonous ones
and leaves the size of serving plates.
(04:10):
That was an adventure with a capital A.
That was wonder served barefoot,jungle wrapped and joy forward.
And I'll tell you what, we didn't see that moment coming
when we packed our bags, but it was better than anything we
could have planned. The real adventure wasn't just
(04:30):
in the cacao or the canoes, right?
It was in surrender, in being led by joy instead of.
Absolutely why adventure matters, especially now.
You know what science says? That seeking novelty is a secret
sauce for staying sharp. Your brain loves newness, even
(04:53):
small, messy newness. That's because every new
experience lights up your brain like a birthday cake, even small
ones. A different routine at home, A
spontaneous conversation, a walkwithout your phone.
And yeah, you might trip. I tripped an embarrassing number
of times on that jungle hike. Oh, just wait till you all hear
(05:15):
about that. I'm convinced the monkeys were
laughing at you, Rusty. The point is, novelty keeps us
curious. That's right.
And curiosity is the first cousin of courage.
The more you chase it, the more the world opens up to you.
Somewhere along the way, we started believing adventure had
(05:37):
an expiration date, right? That it belonged to the young,
the fit, the untethered. But here's the truth.
Adventure belongs to anyone who still wants to feel something
real. I think you should say that
again, because that's important.Adventure belongs to you if you
want to feel something real. That's right.
(05:58):
Even if you're tired. Even if you've failed.
Even if your idea of a bold new experience is ordering spicy
salsa instead of mild. Life isn't for the fading.
It's for blazing, for reinventing, for grinding cacao
on sacred stone and realizing the best things in life.
(06:21):
They take time. You've still got stories to
write, places to explore, flavors to taste.
You're not done. You are just heating up.
OK, let's name the culprits. What keeps people from pursuing
adventure? Fear busyness?
Sure, that voice that says what if I fall?
(06:44):
But that voice forgets to add What if I fly?
Yeah, What if you get muddy and lost and come out the other side
a little more alive? What about that?
That's not failure. That's growth.
That's the good kind of mess. And trust us, you don't need to
move to the jungle or paddle A dugout to get there.
(07:04):
Just say yes to something new. Start where you are, go as far
as you can, then keep going. Segment 1 Recap Jungle rules for
a wildlife. You got it, Let's bring it back
around. Adventure is a mindset, not a
luxury, right? It's made of small, bold choices
like follow wing a toddler into the trees.
(07:27):
New experiences feed your spiritand your brain.
Your second act isn't behind schedule.
It's right on time. So whether you're paddling into
the unknown or just finally learning how to salsa show up,
let's go get a little wild. In segment 2, we'll explore how
(07:47):
to spark adventure in your everyday life with micro
emissions, mindset flips, and some island proof brain science.
(08:17):
All right, aiding heroes. Let's talk about what really
makes someone adventurous. Spoiler alert, it's not the
gear. It's not the passport stamps,
and definitely not how many GoPro selfies you've posted from
a zip line. It's mindset, baby, pure and
(08:38):
simple. Adventure doesn't start in your
calendar, it starts between yourears.
Exactly. You don't need a new passport.
Although you do need a passport,you need a new perspective.
An adventurous mindset means staying open.
Open to surprises. Open to change.
(08:59):
Open to the possibility that thebest part of your day hasn't
even happened yet. It means swapping What if it
goes wrong for what if? This is the story I'll tell
forever. And look, we don't lose our
sense of adventure with age. We just start filtering
everything through fear, fatigue, or FOMO.
(09:23):
That's fear of missing out. That's right.
But your brain, it's still wiredfor wonder.
Neuroplasticity doesn't go Gray,it just gets bored if you don't
give it new toys. You've got to feed its moments
little hints of novelty, something that says, hey, we're
still here, we're still curious.So how do you keep your venture
(09:46):
muscles strong? You train them and one of the
best ways is micro adventures. That's right, we're talking tiny
disruptions with oversized impact.
Stuff like trying a food you can't pronounce, taking a new
course to the store, starting a conversation with that eccentric
(10:08):
neighbor who wears tie dye and sings to her tomato plants.
Do you remember those jungle toddlers from segment one?
Well, we're still not over it. That moment taught us this.
You don't need Agps to be led byjoy.
Sometimes your compass is a muddy little hand in yours.
(10:29):
And that's the thing, we didn't try to control the moment, We
didn't overthink it. We just let ourselves be LED.
Here's the real magic. When you do something new,
anything new, you activate the dopamine reward system in your
brain. Same circuit that lights up when
you fall in love or eat really good chocolate.
(10:52):
So yes, booking that kayak trip,learning how to juggle trying
salsa dancing in your garage literally rewires your brain for
joy. And don't underestimate the
serotonin boost from doing something slightly ridiculous.
Like me waltzing in the kitchen with our Labradoodle or getting
(11:14):
our kids Harry, Laney and Tallis.
Hi guys. To voice act the entire play of
A Christmas Carol. They love doing that with us,
didn't you guys? It's a true story, don't ask.
Point is, micro adventures are vitamins for your spirit.
They wake you up. They remind you that you're not
(11:35):
just surviving this life, you'rein it.
So what stops us? You want to know what shuts down
people's sense of adventure faster than a cold shower?
Over scheduling, yes. Under listening, yes.
And the evil twin of every good intention.
Say it, say it. I'm going to own it.
Perfectionism. That's right, we are so afraid
(11:58):
of looking foolish that we forget how good it feels to be
surprised. And then there's the phrase that
should come with a warning label.
You got it. I already know.
That phrase shuts the door on discovery.
And let me tell you, the most adventurous people we know
(12:19):
aren't the ones who've got all the answers.
They're the ones who show up curious, even when they don't
have a map. They follow the bread crumbs.
They make room for whatever comes their way.
Aging heroes. Challenge of the Week make one
(12:41):
bold shift. All right, heroes, so here's
your mission. Something that disrupts your
default mode. Make one shift this week.
Doesn't have to be dramatic, butit does have to be real.
Maybe it's cooking a new dish, starting a hard conversation,
dancing in your living room, or wearing something bright just
(13:04):
because. No, I've been doing that lately.
You have. Lots of compliments.
I always notice when you're wearing colors.
Maybe it's pausing at a fork in the road and saying what if I
went left instead? Whatever it is, make sure it
gives you that fluttery, fizzy feeling in your chest.
The one that's 50% nerves and 50% hell yes.
(13:28):
Because the more you train yourself to disrupt the script,
the more your brain and your life stays awake.
All right, so here, here's a segment to recap your brain on
bravery. Let's hit rewind.
Adventure starts in your mind, not your miles.
(13:49):
Micro adventures are many rebellions that supercharge your
soul. Disruption breeds joy.
And curiosity beats confidence every single time.
Coming up next in Segment 3, we are digging deeper into our most
transformational travel stories,Some epic, some awkward, all of
(14:12):
them packed with insight. Because sometimes the best
adventures don't ask permission,they just show up.
(14:42):
Welcome back, heroes. You know, some people think
adventure has to be about adrenaline.
Skydiving shark tanks running from bulls in tight pants.
I don't understand your fascination with bulls in tight
pants. You do understand moving on, but
the truth is real adventure. It's about transformation.
(15:05):
It's about those moments when you say yes to something wild
and you come out the other side a little different.
And sometimes with fewer toenails and a surprising rash.
Lovely dear, Speak for yourself all right.
Years ago I signed up for a 24 hour relay race across the
(15:25):
Hawaiian Islands. It was a Ragnar relay from Hilo
to Kona. I'd done a lot of running
before, but it never involved a minivan and 12 people I didn't
know and this slow evolution of it becoming a stinky mobile
(15:46):
locker room slash laugh factory.You can't come out of that kind
of van without either trauma, a new tattoo, or both.
I came out of that with a baton that celebrated the successful
win of our team. Oh baby.
It wasn't just about endurance, it was about showing up and
(16:10):
everything in me, said Erica. Just lie down and eat another
protein bar. I found strength I didn't know I
had. I found connection to real,
gritty, heartfelt connection. It was amazing.
There's just something sacred about sharing bananas and and
(16:33):
breakdowns at 3:00 AM with people who aren't going to let
you give up on yourself. You didn't just cross a finish
line, you crossed into a new version of yourself.
You got it. That's the kind of adventure
that sticks. I will remember those moments
forever. All right, my turn.
What you got for us? Once Upon a questionable
(16:54):
decision, I joined a full patch motorcycle club.
OK good. I was wondering which story you
were going to release with Questionable decision.
Because there have been many. There have been.
This is the part where the podcast past shifts genres.
Suddenly we're full blown Sons of Anarchy folks.
(17:18):
These bikers were pure grit, grease and emotional volatility.
Long rides, loud music, and a lot of leather that smelled like
destiny. Yummy.
I'd always loved motorcycles, but riding with a pack?
That was new territory. You were the oddball professor
(17:38):
with a helmet and a Kurt Vonnegut quote in your back
pocket. A friend.
Yep, they nicknamed me the Professor.
But here's what happened. That pack taught me how to be
present, how to drop the ego andlean into connection.
It wasn't always comfortable, but it was always real.
(18:00):
I learned that adventure can look like a sunrise on the back
of a Harley or helping someone broken down in the middle of
nowhere. Didn't that teach you about how
you do some kind of game where you bite wieners?
Moving on, baby. It was the weenie bite.
It was a contest. The girl on the back of the bike
(18:22):
tried to bite a weenie that was hanging from a string.
Moving on. You didn't just ride, you
belonged. You stretched into something
bigger. It wasn't a vacation, it was a
transformation, and it reminded me that the road doesn't care
about your resume. It cares if you show up and you
pay attention. Let's talk about your accidental
(18:45):
jungle dive. We're doing back-to-back rusty
stories now. You know what if the shoe fits?
If the weenie bite fits. All right, time for the splashy
one. True story.
I fell so many times on our jungle hike at the No Bay
Chocolate Farm. The tribespeople must have
thought I was under the influence.
(19:06):
It was like watching a National Geographic blooper reel in real
time. I absolutely kid you not.
We kept tracking deeper into thejungle, already soaked with
sweat and rainforest. I looked down for one second to
admire the river. Foot slipped.
(19:28):
Instant mud bath. We're all going to take a moment
right here and just pause for effect.
Yeah. He rose from the muck like a
bewildered swamp deity dripping with dignity.
Or maybe the lack thereof, mud and questionable foliage.
I smelled like ambition and amphibian funk for the next
(19:53):
three days, but you look. Like chocolate?
Delicious. Let me tell you that first fall,
it changed things. We slowed down after that.
We weren't tourists anymore. We were guests of the land.
That's when everything shifted. We arrived at the farm helping
each other up the slippery jungle path, and we were greeted
(20:15):
by women roasting cacao over fire and a stone that had ground
chocolate for 100 years. We sipped warm cacao made by
matriarchs under a thatched roof, surrounded by red dart
frogs and laughter. Watch out.
Adventure isn't always about forward motion.
(20:37):
Sometimes it's a plunge into something unplanned and holy.
Let's talk about why these stories matter.
Yeah, so here's the big truth. For most transformational
memories, they rarely start witha guarantee.
They start with a yes, a shaky hopeful, and sometimes, in
Rusty's case, a muddy yes. They happen when you step
(21:00):
outside the lines, outside the labels, and outside the script,
and you discover you're still becoming.
That relay race, it gave me perspective.
That motorcycle club, it reminded Rusty that growth
doesn't care what outfit you're wearing.
That's the kind of holy exhaustion that makes space for
(21:23):
growth. Adventure rarely feels
comfortable in the moment. Very true.
But it always leaves a mark. A good good 1A real 1.
So if you're waiting for a sign,consider this it the leap comes
first, the meaning follows with mud, laughter, and sometimes
(21:46):
it's OK, embarrassment. And honestly, that's what makes
it worth it. Segment 3 Recap Soul supplies
for your jungle backpack. You've got it.
In this segment, we shared real stories of transformation
through adventure. We reminded you that the plan
isn't the point. And showed how falling,
(22:07):
sweating, crying and yes, laughing are part of the good
kind of becoming OK heroes. Before we wrap this journey,
we've got one last stop on the trail.
It's muddy, it's meaningful, andit might just involve me face
planting in front of strangers again.
(22:28):
But it's not just about falling,it's about what you raise after
your head, your heart, maybe a coconut shell.
Coming up next, the Adventure Toast, our celebratory send off
for all the bold, bruised and beautifully alive souls tuning
in. You've earned this moment.
(22:49):
Let's raise a glass to the sacred mess and the stories
still unfolding. All right, heroes, raise your
(23:15):
metaphorical coconut shells, your stainless steel travel
mugs, or whatever vessel holds your courage juice today,
because it's time for the adventure toast.
This is the part of the episode where we pause, breathe deep,
and celebrate that messy, marvelous thing you just did.
(23:37):
You listened, you reflected. You laughed at my expense.
More than once. If there's one image that sums
up today's spirit of lean into the unknown, it's me in the
rainforest, sliding down a mud soaked jungle trail like a
clumsy water Buffalo. If you're wondering whether
(23:58):
slipping into a jungle mud puddle can be holy, just ask my
husband, Rusty. OK, quick recap of Rusty's many
falls in the jungle. Really, Leslie?
Let's recap it. First, fall puddle dive.
Second, betrayed by a tree. Third accidental jungle Trust
(24:21):
fall. Right enough.
I was testing gravity by the way.
OK. It's for science.
That second fall you reached outto grab a tree for balance.
The root detached like it had somewhere else to be.
That tree betrayed me. The third one was the best.
You tried to help me across a slick path and pulled both of us
(24:43):
into a coordinated jungle. Trust Fall.
That one, yeah, I can't even spin it.
That was straight up hubris. By the time we made it to the no
bake cacao clearing, you look like Hershey's.
And. Yet and yet.
(25:03):
That cacao couldn't have tasted sweeter.
You got it. There's something humbling and
weirdly holy about being welcomed by strangers while
covered in mud and humility. You've.
Got it. You weren't polished, you
weren't perfect, but you sure ashell were present.
And that's the whole damn point of today's episode.
(25:26):
All right, let's do the toast. Here's to you heroes, to the
ones who fell today. Metaphor, Berkeley or otherwise,
To the ones who tried something new, even if your inner critic
protested. To the brave weirdos like myself
who danced with the unknown, atethe strange food, asked a big
(25:48):
question, or chose yes over maybe later.
Here's to the mud on your boots,the goosebumps on your skin, the
butterflies in your chest. Here's to showing up without a
script, laughing when it goes sideways, and realizing that
falling doesn't mean failing, itjust means you're alive and
(26:09):
involved. And here's to all the ways
you'll keep exploring this week.Not by scaling mountains, but by
staying curious. By letting wonder interrupt your
schedule. By trusting the path will rise
to meet you, even if you have toslide down it on your ass a few
(26:31):
times to get there. To the slip UPS, to the soaked
shoes, to the sweet taste of something earned like jungle
roasted cacao after a hike that tried to eat your soul.
Raise your Shirley Temples heroes.
You did the thing. All right, let's do a Segment 4
(26:52):
recap. Let's look back, not to dwell,
but to honor how far we've all come together today.
In segment one, we paddled into the spirit of adventure and
redefined it not as a destination, but as a way of
moving through the world with openness and intention.
In segment 2, we talked about mindset, how micro adventures
(27:14):
rewire your brain, shake loose the dust, and remind you that
joy isn't a luxury, it's a choice.
In segment 3 we went full immersion.
Jungle slips, relay races, motorcycles and the sacred mess
of becoming adventure found us and we all said yes.
(27:35):
And here in Segment 4, we toasted every muddy misstep and
sweet discovery, because every story worth telling includes a
little dirt. And those Shirley Temples, they
were delicious. You don't need a machete to
blaze your jungle trail, just a willingness to look ridiculous
while doing something that makesyou feel alive.
(27:56):
So what? Happens after the leap, after
you say yes to life, mud and all.
What guides your steps forward? Next week we're getting into it.
The values, promises, and priorities that shape your
decisions. We're talking about building a
code of honor, not that is some rigid rulebook, but as a compass
(28:17):
for how you want to live, love, and lead.
Because adventure without intention can turn into chaos.
But when you combine courage with clarity, that's how legends
are born. You'll learn how to write your
own personal creed, something that helps you say yes to what
matters and no to what doesn't. We'll share our own examples.
(28:42):
And no, Rusties won't include. Avoid slippery roots.
But it should. Until then, heroes stay curious,
stay muddy. Why not?
And stay open to the wild, beautiful invitation that is
your one wild and precious life.
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