The space between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is busy. Being busy can be good: gatherings with friends and family, traditions that ground you in a sense of place and community, and creating memories with those closest to us.

I use two methods every day to boost my mood, engage my mind, and involve my body—just like an actual adventure.

When it comes to finding adventure in your everyday life, you need to explore and identify the idea of the “Learning Zone”.

Although I’m a professional climber, I’ve found that we don’t need to scale a mountain to experience the mental health benefits of adventure. In fact, you can create adventure from right where you are.

I spend 100 days a year in a tent. As a psychologist and international mountain guide, I spend much of that time leading men on climbing expeditions, helping them reconnect with a sense of adventure.