During my younger sister's senior year of college I planned for an epic graduation gift. I worked a second job outside of my 9-5 for months with the sole purpose of building her gift fund. We were in our early twenties, with what seemed like the entirety of our lives before us. I wanted something memorable, something to kickstart our adult lives. On a bright summer morning we took off on the extreme adventure, my gift to her: skydiving.

To be sure, the experience lived up to the hype. Simply sitting in the rickety vehicle they called a plane was enough to get my adrenaline flowing. It was a thrilling, once in a lifetime experience. It was worth every bit of time, energy, and money that was poured into it.

We often have a skydiving mindset when we seek new experiences. We have visions of zip-lining above the rainforest in Costa Rica or white water rafting down the Colorado River. While there is certainly a place for those adrenaline pumping events, I've learned you don't have to spend a ton of money to foster the sense of adventure that many of us seek as an escape from the everyday. Although the carefree, untethered 20-something still lives inside me, here are some lessons I'm learning in the years since jumping out of a plane.

Embrace your personal sense of adventure. If you find a thrill in scoping out a new restaurant in town or achieving your goal of running a mile for the first time, revel in it. Soak in the experience, feel it with all of your senses. We don't have to travel to a foreign land to find excitement. People have different views of what qualifies as adventure. Don't apologize for your own.

Cultivate adventure in the everyday. Figure out what excites you and find a way to bring it into your life. Maybe it's trying a new recipe from an exotic cookbook every Tuesday night or taking an online photography class. The anticipation and planning alone can improve your mood. Science has shown that anticipating an experience can bring us more happiness than awaiting the purchase of a new possession.

Surround yourself with adventurous friends. If you are anything like me, seeking new experiences can sometimes feel like another to do on your growing list. That's where adventurous friends come in. These are the ones who invite you last minute to a weekend getaway just because it sounds fun. Get out of your own way and go along with the plan, especially if you aren't the one doing the planning.

Follow the ease. We set off on our travels with high spirits and hopes. Then. when things don't go according to our schedule we feel frustrated and disappointed. Try looking at what is working instead of what's not. Some of the most cherished moments happen when we drop our agenda and lean into the ease.

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Rachel Nusbaum is a partner, mom, daughter and sister who writes in pursuit of connection with herself and others. The experience of sharing her own story inspired her to work with other people to shape their personal narrative as a way to find meaning and adapt. Find out more about Rachel through her creative business, Orchid Story, or connect with her on Facebook.