Urban exploration (aka. urbex, UE, bexing, urbexing) is the exploration of man-made structures, roofs, abandoned ruins or not usually seen components of the environment. During my travels around Ukraine I had a chance to meet some amazing people who welcomed me with open arms and took time to show me around their amazing cities. Volodymyr is a musician and photographer from Lviv while Roman is a programmer from Ivano Frankivsk, both of whom share my growing passion for urban exploration.
Face Your Fears
What are you afraid of? We all have fears about one thing or another and it takes courage to overcome it. Whether its talking to that girl at the bar, trying something new or travelling somewhere you’ve never been before – fear is inevitable. Falling in love with those butterflies in your stomach is key, it means you’re trying something new and unpredictable and its sure to surprise.
“Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid? That is the only time a man can be brave” – Ned Stark
You may think its stupid or crazy to climb buildings with no safety equipment or trespassing in places you’re not supposed to but I don’t see it any different to jumping out of an airplane, cliff diving or rock climbing. Bravery consists in overcoming fear, not in the absence of it. The adrenaline rush you feel cannot be bought or replicated. It’s a feeling so unique you will spend hours feeding off it, all the while planning the next excursion.
Go Explore
At first your urbex escapades will be spontaneous. You will hear about a certain place through word of mouth or the mood will strike you as you walk past an unguarded ladder. After a while there has to be a certain element of planning as you dare to push your own boundaries. Staking out places you wish to climb, finding building blueprints and even social hacking are tools that all urban explorers should have in their tool belts.
In terms of personal development overcoming a fear of heights while ticking an item off my bucket list feels like a great achievement. It put the fear in perspective while showing my why people from all walks of life choose to do this as a hobby. While I’m still young I look forward to taking many more risks and ensuring that the feeling of regret for things I was too afraid to try is a distant memory.
Thanks for reading my latest article. Give it a share using the links below so others can enjoy it too. For more check out the full article from Lviv, my trip to Malta or some great life advice that you can use today.
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