There’s a new season in sight.
Longer, lighter days to revive and energise.
A change of season is often a time of renewal.
‘Out with the old and in with the new’ attitude.
Sometimes just ‘in with the new’ is all that’s needed to feel refreshed and revived.
Do you have a ‘Bucket List’?
…things you want to accomplish, places you want to visit or new experiences you want to try? I’ve never actually written one as I think the long term completion date (I hope) puts me off a little. It’s too easy to delay things and leave them until the right time, when in fact, in our busy lives, it’s never quite the right time. When I turned 39 I made a 40 before 40 list so 365 days to do 40 new things I had never tried before. That year was a real turning point in the way I now approach my life. Another contribution to that approach was definitely related to our decision to move to another country and live with an Expat Community. These are generally the type of people who, because they are living somewhere for a relatively short amount of time, take every opportunity to make the most out of every single day!
At one time, everything you did was new but as time goes by, you tend to get stuck in a rut of doing what you know and actually being a little bit scared to come out of that comfort zone. The truth is, every day we have so many opportunities to try new things, meet new people and have new adventures. Whether we take them is all down to the choices we make. Sometimes it’s just the shift in the way we think that can make things feel new and refreshing.
How do you feel about trying new things? Some people resist and often fear it, whilst others crave the sensations they gain from it. When we eat out with our children, especially when on holiday, we make them try new foods whether it be a traditional dish from that country or just something that they have never tasted before. I must say, they are very brave – there’s no way you would get me to eat Frogs Legs! Maybe I would love them, but I’m not brave enough to try.
Maybe you are a little apprehensive of entering unknown territory – I am too sometimes, but here’s my reasons for why we should all try new things:
1. Because you don’t want to live with regrets
Have you ever been asked to do or try something new but said ‘no’ because it seemed daunting or scary, but then walked away wishing you had said ‘yes’? I have. But what’s the worst that could have happened? Maybe you will hate the new thing you tried, but at least you have learnt that. If an opportunity like that comes around again you can be decisive in saying no because you ‘know’ it didn’t work for you. If you did like it, then you may have opened up a whole new world of opportunity. You will never know unless you try. You read about some people who have created a new life out of discovering a love for something they had no idea would capture their imaginations. Never regret the things you do, regret the things you don’t do.
2. It will give you self-confidence
Whatever you try whether you like it or not will give you experience. Your brain and your body and your beliefs about what you can and can’t do will be challenged. Even if you fail, it doesn’t matter. It’s actually the not being afraid of the trying that is very empowering. The ‘thing’ is irrelevant. The more things you know and the more things you try, the more dynamic you will become and feel. I also find the spirit of trying new things synonymous with self improvement. When we step outside our comfort zones and become more open to change, we may begin to create new possibilities we did not see before.
3. It can break the monotony of routine
We all need to be motivated, challenged and feel a sense of achievement to be happy. A daily routine can sometimes switch on your ‘auto pilot’ and doing the same things over and over can lead to boredom. Sometimes if you resist change or trying new things because you find safety in familiarity, you lose your drive and interest. Trying something new opens up new opportunities by changing your perspective and allowing you to see things differently.
4. Because You Only Live Once!
Unless the something new is ‘life threatening’ then what have you got to lose? Try new things and be open to new ideas in order to make the most out of life. Don’t let ‘no’ and ‘I can’t’ define it. Embrace new things with positivity, because you never know where they might lead you. Without change, there is no adventure in life.
‘To get something you have never had, you have to do something you have never done’
How will March be for you? What new things do you want to try?