Some time after the rainforest adventure I shared a few emails back, my wife Setareh and I went to Amsterdam for our honeymoon.
Before we left, I wanted to do my research, look up reviews, and make an itinerary so we could structure our limited time and not miss any of the gems hidden in plain sight.
Setareh, on the other hand, felt that a trip like this was a rare moment for us to just let loose, be flexible, and explore this new beautiful city with open eyes. She preferred a more spontaneous approach that wouldn’t tie us to any kind of schedule.
After some lively debate, we ultimately found ourselves agreeing to an approach we called structured flexibility.
The concept is right in the name: have a general itinerary in mind, but be open to detours and random happenings that can’t be planned.
In our case, it meant taking the time to research the neighborhoods we wanted to bike to and even some solid restaurants to have in our back pocket for when we got hungry — but it also meant letting go of the feeling that we had to do any of those things.
For example, one day we were on our way to a museum when we spotted an epic outdoor farmer’s market. We decided to let go of our afternoon plans and walk the 5+ blocks of the market — and while we were exploring, I recognized Casey Neistat, an American filmmaker who came on my radar via his amazing video about biking the streets of New York City. We introduced ourselves and had a nice conversation about our respective travels through Amsterdam.
Having a clear direction to the day got us going, but it was being open and having an adventurers’ mindset that made it particularly memorable.
I don’t think this is revolutionary — but since it saved our honeymoon, I thought it was worth sharing with you.
Till soon,
Mike Radparvar
Co-Founder, Holstee
P.S. This is our last week exploring Adventure. Next week’s Holstee Membership dives into one of our favorite themes, Creativity!
Begin your day feeling grounded and inspired.
A free 30-day email series where we share the most impactful stories and ideas that have helped us on our journey to live a more meaningful life.
✌️ Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
“I’m in the midst of big life transitions at the moment, chasing book deals, relocating, taking risks, carving out a life that feels honest, so your emails have been a perfectly timed source of inspiration and reassurance.” Jo in London, Great Britain
"Love the emails! They are a great reset or what I would call mindful chiropractic adjustment to approaching the day. Thank you!" Laurie in Albuquerque, New Mexico
"I love the emails. They give me a new perspective and things to think about and apply in my life." Monica in Johannesburg, South Africa
"It's food for the soul and sets my spiritual compass in the right direction." Farahdiva Samsul in Assam, India
"Absolutely LOVE the daily emails. One of the only email subscriptions I read daily. Keep them coming!!" Adriana in New York, New York
"The emails are thought-provoking and uplifting. A little pause from the crazy happenings of modern life. A quick chance to reflect, smile, and think about a life lived mindfully." Pharan in Queensland, Australia
"I have thoroughly enjoyed the Mindfully Mailed series. Daily I await this little nugget of goodness to hit my inbox each day." Tambria in Shreveport, Louisiana
Welcome to Holstee
Living with intention is an ongoing practice, not a destination. Inspired by this, we’ve created a range of products to help you on your journey to live both fully and mindfully, including the Holstee Membership, Reflection Cards, and our recently-launched Reflection.app.
Adventure
This article is part of our series on the theme of Adventure.
EXPLORE Adventure →Shop Holstee
Inspiration and tools to help you live a more meaningful life.
VISIT THE SHOP →
