Adventure is a loose word, a spirit of trying something new, trying something difficult. Going somewhere different, leaving your comfort zone. Above all, adventure is about enthusiasm, ambition, open-mindedness and curiosity.

If this is true then “adventure” is not only rowing oceans, climbing mountains or cycling round the world. Adventure is everywhere, every day and it is up to us to seek it out.

You probably can’t go on huge adventures all the time. We all have to pragmatically juggle the commitments and constraints of our “real lives”.

But you can have a microadventure.

Because you do not need to fly to the other side of the planet to find wilderness and beauty.

Adventure is only a state of mind.

Adventure is stretching yourself; mentally, physically or culturally. It is about doing something you do not normally do, pushing yourself hard and doing it to the best of your ability.

You do not need to be an elite athlete, expertly trained, or rich to have an adventure.

A microadventure is an adventure that is close to home, cheap, simple, short, and yet very effective.

A microadventure has the spirit (and therefore the benefits) of a big adventure. It's just all condensed into a weekend away, or even a midweek escape from the office. Even people living in big cities are not very far away from small pockets of wilderness.

Adventure is all around us, at all times. Even during hard financial times such as these. Times when getting out into the wild is more enjoyable, invigorating and important than ever.

Why not commit to trying a microadventure yourself? Get some microadventure ideas of your own here, watch microadventure videos or read the microadventure blog.

Then get out there and explore your own country. Do it by yourself or with friends. Do it with your parents or children or colleagues from the office. Seek out short, interesting, rewarding adventures right on your doorstep.

Then share your stories through email or, Facebook or via the hashtag #microadventure on Twitter.

If you are too busy, too stressed, too broke, too tired or too unfit for an adventure, then you definitely would benefit from a microadventure.

Climb a hill, jump in a river, sleep under the stars. Try it. What's the worst that could happen?

I've been working hard to encourage people to get out and try a microadventure. Microadventures are a refresh button for busy lives.

But I'm very aware that the hardest thing is getting out there for the first time. So I have produced a few infographics which hopefully will serve to give people the prod necessary to take that first step. (Thank you, Andrea, for all your hard work!)

Click on the image you prefer to open a PDF file that you can then download and keep (Right Click, Save) or share the link with any friends who need a gentle kick up the backside to get out there and do stuff! A lot of the text on the PDF infographic is clickable, leading you to relevant web entries.

Please feel free to use, distribute, print, put on your Facebook page, edit or hack as much as you wish.

If you do head off on a microadventure, please let me know. Tag it on Twitter with the hashtag #microadventure or pop something on the new Microadventures Facebook Page.

If you'd like to come on a microadventure with me sign up here. If you have any friends who could benefit from a microadventure, please send them this link.

If you have any questions about microadventures or require any more information please get in touch.