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2012: The Year of Adventure…

December 23, 2011 By 23 Comments

Us. The NonConformist Family. Almost 1 year ago... It’s all over. Well, almost. 

2011 is nearly history, and 2012 looms before us. Not going to lie, we’re all pretty damn stoked over here at the NCF, and here’s why:

A few weeks ago, Sarah and I were challenged by a friend to give 2012 a title – sort of like a chapter heading. We were both like ‘huh, that’s a cool idea’, and then we sort of forgot until later that day. Know what’s crazy? We both had the exact same chapter title in our minds. 2012? We’re deciding what it’s bringing us. We’re putting a theme on it – and the direction of TheNonConformistFamily.com is going to reflect that slight shift. 2012 IS the Year of Adventure - which sounds all romantic and stuff… which I like. 

But here’s the thing about adventure. It requires something of you… you must give something up. People who succeed in adventuring are willing to lose it all.

Adventure give us a brand new perspective on life. It transforms you (think Frodo and LOTR ). Adventure requires a re orientation of life. It gives a whole new set of priorities.

You know, adventure doesn’t ‘find’ you. You find it by walking into opportunity, going through a door without flinching – and you’ve got GOT to walk through it. You must choose to go down a path that might freak the hell outta you.

Advenutre requires commitment: perseverance. It requires the deep strengths we possess – and then some. It requires stepping away from what you know – from what feels safe, and leaping into… you’re not sure. And, perhaps the scariest part of all?

Adventure will ALWAYS cost us security and comfort.

That’s where Sarah and I, Piper and Vienna are headed next year ; in our adventure, we need help. Friends. Allies. People like Michael and Claudia Good:

And Nina and Ian Nelson:

Ian and Nina Nelson

Ian and I decided that 2012 would be The Year of Increase. And adventure is totally included in that. But adventure can be pretty vague. Our ideas of adventure were different, which meant we had to figure out exactly what an increase in adventure looks like. We decided that it means more travel and exploring the wilderness. And gradually easing our kids into it. Ok, gradually easing us into doing this with our kids, because I’m sure they’d be fine. 

Next year, travel will take us to Canada (we’ve got to meet this nonconformist family in person!), Colorado, Montana and around the lovely Pacific Northwest. We’re also going to be doing a lot of camping and hiking. Some new friends of ours are stoked to hit the wilderness with us, which will make taking 4 kids (the youngest being 2) into the unknown much more manageable. 
Our future plans are big, and this year, we’re testing the waters. We don’t want our kids to be our excuse not to have adventure, but we also think we’d all have more fun if we didn’t have to haul four car seats around Europe. But who knows, after our road trip from Oregon to Ontario, we might just dive in head first and see where adventure takes us.

Join us and our tribe as we live a life of adventure in 2012:

(if you want to connect more deeply with us, sign up on the right sidebar )

Ivan and Skye Bickett

Ashley and Nathan Logsdon

Alana and Josh Mokma

Justin and Christine Lukasavige

Andy and Sara Traub

Kevin and Teri Miller

Filed Under: Blog
  • http://www.shalommama.com Nina Nelson

    We are so stoked to be a part of the adventure with you guys!

  • http://www.roccocapra.com/ Rocco Capra

    Add me to the list! We’re planning and looking to relocate to CO this coming year! Should be quite the adventure for sure!

  • Jody Berkey

    Add Steve and me (and 2.5 year old Elijah) to your list of adventure allies! We’re planning on selling our house, quitting our jobs, and traveling the country as we build our business (90Revolutions). We’re living on faith! We hope to connect or reconnect with many of your team members along the way. Interesting, earlier this weekend we were talking about the title we want to bestow upon 2012.

    We recently hired Justin as our launch coach, and we’re ready to start 2012 with a bang!

    • http://rise365.com Claudia Good

      Jody,
      Can I just say…you and Steve rock! Way to BLAST into 2012!

  • Anonymous

    Excited for you Joshua and Sarah. I remember when you posted a survey on Facebook about what adventures you had in mind. It’s great to your dream coming into action.

    I dubbed 2011 the year of “Personal Growth”

    2012 is the year of “ACTION”

    So, yeah, where do I drink the koolaid?

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      Sounds like you’ve been knocking it back for a while already, homie… So glad you’re around!

  • http://rise365.com Claudia Good

    Excited to be on this rockin journey!!!!

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      Awesome stuff, Claudia! Thanks for joining up with us!

  • http://www.andytraub.com/ Andy Traub

    I am surrounded by people who are doing stuff. It’s awesome.

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      YOU’RE awesome, Andy. 

  • Skye

    Adventure! I like it. No, I love it. This year is going to be big and I can’t wait to see what happens for all of us.

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      You and Ivan are both freaking awesome people. You’re making big decisions, and not settling. Worthy of admiration, you guys are.

  • http://www.abetterwayofbusiness.com/ Ivan Bickett

    How fun is this! I feel really special to be in such great company (seriously!). Skye and my adventure started back in October when I left my job to be self employed. It’s been a crazy ride where we both believe we’re going through the refiner’s fire so that we end up being what God had in mind when He made us, instead of what we were making. It’s scarey as crap, and so exciting it’s hard to contain! Rock on NCF! It’s going to be a crazy and wild ride! ~Ivan

  • http://www.writerviews.com Michael Alexis

    If I make it “the year of getting married” – can I get featured on the NCF too? ;- )

    –
    M

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Teri-Miller/100000244322626 Teri Miller

    Can’t 

  • http://www.StumblingAroundInTheLight.com Teri Miller

    what 

  • http://www.StumblingAroundInTheLight.com Teri Miller

    goodness!!!  Couldn’t get this posting to work!!!

    What I MEANT to type is….

    Can’t even begin to predict what God has in store for us.  But I wonder – if 2012 will be the Year of Loving the Motherless.  Or the Year of the Orphan.  And yet…maybe it is even more basic than that.  Maybe it will be the Year of Sacrificial Love.

    Adventure, yes. 
    Fortune, success, comfort?  I don’t think so.

    Kinda scary, to be honest.

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      Adventure and comfort are mutually exclusive.

  • Pingback: TAKING BOLD ACTION | A Better Way of Business

  • Eason

    You’re speaking my language. My wife and I talk repeatedly that our three boys need to grow up in an adventure. Our lives need to be an adventure. There’s a big world out there! We sold our house and bought a little farm..I’m a fulltime musician, what do I know about “farming”. I’ve also started a project called Mentor Quest where I have started diving into learning everything my boys could ever want or need to learn. I’m learning hunting, fishing, camping, you name it. I’m humbling myself and being mentored. My boys are having a blast being a part of this….Our family is having a blast!

    Hope it’s a great adventurous year for you guys.

    Ed Eason
    http://www.mentorquest.tv

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      Ed, that sounds fascinating! Having our kids deeply involved in our families’ adventures is a huge huge deal – it ruins them for boring template living. Everything you’re saying is resounding deeply in me.

      Have you read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years?

      - Josh

      • Eason

        I’ve never read it. A friend gave it to me to read but I haven’t taken the time to read it yet. I hear it’s it’s great.