Can we be born Soulventurers?
Where does that innate desire come from? That thrill you get from putting everything down on lucky 13; or the joy of spontaneity that makes the weekend away so much more than a unexpected trip. People call us the daredevils, madcaps or even show-offs of the world but there must be more to thrill-seeking than having a death wish…
The Restless Gene: DRD4-7R
He comes the science…
Everyone is a big old fish bowl of genes and the lucky few who bagged DRD4-7R are less susceptible to dopamine. Meaning while for some of us a bar of chocolate and your favorite pair of slippers is a great feel-good hit; us DRD4-7R’ers physically need higher levels of dopamine injections to feel as fulfilled and thus become the Soulventurers of the world.
This gene can be closely linked to “with restlessness and curiosity.” It doesn’t just stop there, 7R makes people more likely to take risks; explore new places, ideas, foods, relationships, drugs, or sexual opportunities; and generally embrace movement, change, and adventure. Starting to ring true to any of you Soulventures?
This gene goes back to the very dawn of human existence. A study conducted by Chuansheng Chen of the University of California, Irvine in 1999, found 7R more common in present-day migratory cultures than in settled ones.
Ancestors who traveled from our origin in Africa Pangaea in the past – living a more nomadic lifestyle were more likely to carry the gene. Thus if you carry the DRD4-7R gene there’s a good chance Great, Great Grandpa or ma were thrill-seekers too, or at least wanted to be!
Back to Reality
Although it feels nice to have something exact to account for why it’s happening there are around 20,500 genes in the human genome. This makes it tricky to confidently say that 1 of those is solely responsible for every feeling of Soulventure ever. The world is full of so many different catalysts that trigger the Soulventure within, so for even the most cautious of individuals adventure might be right around the next corner.
So maybe the Soulventure thesis isn’t quite a genetic, medical condition – yet. That being said, there’s definitely something hardwired in all of us that make’s it fun. An intrinsic feeling that pushes you to reach that innate, visceral fulfillment only soulventure can achieve.
Let’s just agree that for now everything coming together is a happy coincidence and so long as you’re fulfilled and Soulventuring, all is good.
Photo Credit: @tomhill_photography
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