Say Yes To Spontaneity

To some extent, I knew what I was getting into. It was a music concert.

But as I stood in line for tacos, an unexpected thing happened. From the moment their first song started, I knew. A band called Ripe was opening the show. What are the odds that an indie band I had discovered on Spotify was performing here?

With tacos in hand, I sat down on the steps thinking about the choices that got me here. I said yes to a Denver trip. I said yes to buying concert tickets at 10 pm the night before, less than 24 hours before the show. I said yes to something that could’ve gone wrong in a million ways.

Did I know who Michael Franti was? No clue.

Was I exhausted after catching a 4 am flight and sleeping at 1 am the next day? No kidding.

Did I think I would enjoy the concert? I guess I could make the most of it.

As the sun waved goodbye with hues of orange and yellow, the center stage responded with vibrant blues, purples, and pinks. The view in the background was stunning, full of pastel reds and widespread greens.

With tens of thousands dancing to the sounds of summer, there was only one word to describe the atmosphere at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Magical.

I had no idea who the headlining artist was… and I didn’t regret a thing.

Over the past year, I’ve come to learn that the quality of life is shaped by the quality of life experiences. It’s why I’ve been traveling to different cities each month. New people. New places. Novel experiences. Every time I travel, I always come back with a different perspective.

In June of 2024, my trip to Denver showed me that the secret to elevating any experience to the next level is simple. Being spontaneous.

Over four days, I was reminded how spontaneous actions led to serendipitous outcomes. Follow along as I unravel how each experience inspired confidence to take a chance on the unknown.

Flexibility Is The Key To Spontaneity

After spending day two at the Denver Botanical Gardens and Meow Wolf Museum, I was exhausted. The plan was to get dinner at the Denver Milk Market and then head to bed. Little did I know that something else was in store that night.

I was searching for some food when I suddenly walked through open doors. I had discovered Lob, a fusion between bocce ball and mini-golf. Let me tell you, I was sold, but we just didn’t have the time for it.

To make this work, we would have to eat a quick dinner, rush back to the car to extend our parking and sacrifice some sleep that night. But when was a better time than now?

This experience taught me two things.

1. You can’t plan for everything, but you can always adapt on the fly.

2. Always park in a parking structure. The last thing you want to be worrying about on vacation is parking. (seriously, it’s not worth the stress)

So when the opportunity presents itself, give it a shot. Lob wasn’t part of the plan, but it became the best way to spend the night.

Find Spontaneity In the Little Things

A picturesque concert. An eventful bocce-ball golf. Seriously, what else could top that?

On day three, I was up for the challenge. I wanted to bring spontaneity into everything. I discovered the key is to let your curiosity and authenticity guide the way.

Here are some ways I infused serendipity into day three.

I started the morning by selecting a fragrant Chinese Tung Ting tea from a list of 50+ teas at the Boulder Tea House.

Although not dressed for the occasion, I embarked on a midday hike at Chautauqua Park.

After, I headed down to Pearl Street, where I discovered a Mystery T-shirt vending machine! (You heard me correctly. $20 to get a random shirt in the Marine Layer store. Isn’t that a steal?).

Now I know what you’re thinking. Kalen, what you did isn’t even that crazy… And you’re right.

There’s a common misconception that spontaneous actions have to be massive, impulsive, and random. Hence we make arguments like, “I don’t want to jump into things headfirst” or “I’m not that kind of person”.

To convince you otherwise, let’s hear what clinical psychologist Linda Blair thinks.

You Should Plan for Spontaneity

No matter how much we plan, life will always contain uncertainty. In a previous article, I discussed how to combat uncertainty, but Denver showed me another way. Channeling spontaneity to achieve serendipity, the occurrence and development of events by chance in a beneficial way (aka meaningful coincidences).

We all have a different tolerance for the unknown. Some of us are comfortable on the turn of a dime whereas others might need a bit more time. But to be spontaneous means to act in the moment, so what can we do?

I’ve found the easiest way to be spontaneous is to plan for it. It sounds counterintuitive, but when we prepare for spontaneity, we reap the benefits of serendipity without the risk of being caught off-guard. Create a plan to define the space for spontaneity. You might be surprised by what happens.

Say Yes To More Spontaneous Space

There are so many reasons to say no. Money. Time. Inconvenience. Fear. Self-doubt.

So why say yes?

To prove it to ourselves? To prove it to others?

I think we should say yes to be inspired… to be inspired by the great unknown. The world we live in is reciprocating. The more we give, the more we will get in return.

So, say yes to spontaneity to inspire yourself to live a life only you can.

Maybe you’ll inspire someone else too.

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As part of our community, we would love to hear about a time you said yes to spontaneity. What’s an opportunity you’ve embraced that led to a serendipitous outcome? Feel free to share your story in the comments.

A Few Spontaneous Reads

• Go ahead, be a little more spontaneous

• The Serendipity Economy: How Spontaneity Plus Social Networking Drives Innovation

• Why serendipitous interactions in the office made us feel productive

• What surfing says about the importance of serendipity in life

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