ONE NEW THING! - CHALLENGE #11

 

Oh, yeah!  Who’s up for something new? 

ME! 

Well, maybe ... hmm ... let me just think about it for a bit...

Actually, now I’m not so sure...

Probably should just wait and see, eh?...

Yeah, I don’t think the timing is right so maybe another time...

Nope!  I definitely have to pass on that.

If you are anything like me . . . trying something unfamiliar, out of your comfort zone, or even remotely unsafe is enough to make the hairs on your neck stand on end.  Don’t get me started on trying foreign or exotic foods.  My trip to Vietnam was pretty much sustained by Spring Rolls and Diet Coke.

This all reminds me of a movie that came out a number of years ago.  Since then, scores of people have gotten on board with the Bucket List ideology.  In case you are unfamiliar with the list – it’s an inventory of things that you want to do before you die or “kick the bucket” – hence the phrase. Not entirely sure, but I suspect the expression was probably coined from that same movie, “The Bucket List” with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.  There are websites galore encouraging people to blog or post their attempts at fulfilling dreams and aspirations onto their sites. These can range anywhere from making eye contact with people (don’t laugh – that’s a huge thing for some people) to learning an instrument to travelling to incredibly fascinating places all over the universe.  The world is your oyster, so to speak.  You are limited only by your imagination (and possibly time, resources, and complaining family members). They encourage, if you can dream it, to go for it!

So what’s the benefit to trying one new thing?  A multitude of good things, I hear …

. could very well make you a better person

. gives you motivation to try other things – maybe even things

  that are really difficult for you

. inspiring to others

. feels pretty darn good to accomplish things you've always
  wanted to do

. it’s fun!

And . . . what is holding us back?  How about boredom, laziness, procrastination, lack of money, time or creativity, fear, etc. Interestingly enough, they say that when it comes to fear … most of the time, the things we feared would happen … seldom do.  Like people laughing at us for trying something new.  They may raise their eyebrows at first, but more often than not, they will be impressed or surprised at our “moxie” (not the restaurant – “courage / nerve / spunk / guts”) – now isn’t that so very cool!  Someone thinks we have “moxie”!

Oh, to be a teen again.  Teens are amazing at trying new things – especially if you dare them.  Ok – so that may be a little peer pressure happening here but sometimes we adults could use a little pressure in some areas of our lives.  Like this blog thing.  Once I decided on it … it would have been easier beyond belief to back out but I had already blurted it out to a few co-workers and so … I was sort of committed.  Glad I did it.  Keeps me sane, some days.  I didn’t expect to be enjoying it as much as I do – surprise, surprise.

Start small.  It doesn’t have to be anything overly crazy, pricey or difficult.  It doesn’t even have to be bucket list worthy – simply trying something different or maybe even doing something you normally do, but with a spin on it.  A weird thing for me is trying new foods when I go out to eat.  We all know that dining out – not the drive thru “dinners” – but actual dining out can be really costly.  What do I ALWAYS order? Ribs.  I like ribs but what the heck – I don’t live for the things – however, I’m compelled to always order them because I know they are generally pretty safe and filling.  The only problem with this is that there are likely 150 other great things on the menu that I will never try.  Not that the world stops if I don’t try them, but it’s a good thing to get out of your safe little box now and again.  Who knows … I might even extend that to something else (like Green Tea rather than English Breakfast Tea – oh goodness gracious – can’t you just see the conversation going on in my head the day that happens!!) 

Whatever it is you begin with …. be excited for yourself.  It may not be a big deal to anyone else, but, hey … who really cares - this isn't about them, it's about you.

Years ago, I heard something kind of quirky.  If you want to change something about yourself and ACT as if you are that way  . . . your body is actually capable of tricking your head (or is it vice versa?) into believing it.  Anyway - I took that to heart about 30 years ago and was surprised how very true that could be a lot of the time.  And … still holds true.  So don’t tell yourself you are too boring or scared … tell yourself that you are doing it because it’ll be great and sometimes you like to do really great things!

Don’t live a life of regrets.  Stop watching others be bold and exciting and wishing it were you.  Seriously, the only difference between you and them is that they didn’t listen to the voice in their head that told them, “NO!”

Start living in the sun, not in someone else’s shadow.

Wise words from my Mom, “What are you waiting for?  Christmas?”

FYI - I don't really have a Bucket List - honestly, never really occured to me but IF I did, here are some of the things that would be on my bucket list:  figure out some of those really useful features on my cool new cell phone / learn one new Spanish word a week / order the chicken, for pete’s sake / explore Ireland / go on a missions trip to a third world country and be a part of making a difference in someone’s life / finish all 55 weeks of my blog without compromising what I put in it . . . to be continued . . .

Hope you will give some thought this week (and down the road) to trying something new.  Who knows ... maybe doing one thing will lead to trying more things. You don’t have to have it all figured out with your ducks all lined up in a row before you attempt something - because as most of us know . .. . amateurs built the Ark / professionals built the Titanic. 

Food For Thought:

Meet Alice – a gutsy l6 year old English teen that is fighting terminal cancer and has started her very own Bucket List.  As she says, her blog is a diary of the precious times she has had with her family and friends doing things she’s always wanted to do.  She realizes that lots of things on her list will probably never get accomplished but she is determined to do as many as she can “before I go”.   Is that motivation or what?  Kind of makes our whiny little excuses seem like … whiny little excuses.   Go Alice! 

Well, next week I’ll be taking on my 12^th challenge – Making Some Good Habits!

Images from: http://alicepyne.blogspot.ca/http://www.peoplestuff.com.au/_blog/PeopleStuff_Blog/tag/Actions/ Imgfave.com;