It’s time to try something new, time to shake things up a little.
Trying new things means putting yourself in a position where you just might fail. It feels risky and uncomfortable, but ultimately it can make your life richer and makes you a more interesting person. Trying new things uncovers abilities you never knew you had, keeps your brain and body tuned up, and enhances your relationships.
Here are five things you should be doing to make sure that “new” is always in your life equation:
Experiment
Look at things differently. Put ideas together in an unconventional way.
Explore
Go somewhere new, whether it’s to a local flea market, a nearby woods, or an exotic faraway destination. Discover a new website, community gathering place, or group of like-minded thinkers.
Read
Try new books. As soon as you finish one, start the next one. Get recommendations on fiction that will expand your imagination. Find the classics and immerse yourself in them.
Study
Read nonfiction books that will enlarge your thought processes. Creative or critical thinking requires an influx of new ideas. Take a university class, an online course, or write in a journal to study your own life patterns.
Practice
“Repetition is the mother of skill,” says motivational speaker and business expert Tony Robbins. Successful performance requires practice. Practice a sport, creative writing, conflict resolution, or the art of pie making. Successful performance requires mastery of skills.
Repeat these five steps — experiment, explore, read, study, and practice — throughout your life. They will keep your talents ever growing, your mind expanding, and your life interesting.
Old Things Become New
There are many things you probably haven’t tried in a very long time, waiting for you to rediscover them. Have fun as you dive into some old favorites:
* Play a song that makes you want to move. Dance like nobody is watching.
* Get out some craft supplies, magic markers, or paints and create a masterpiece. Take a sketchbook outside for inspiration.
* Play bal – football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, tennis.
* Take your shoes off and go barefoot through the grass, splash around in a creek, or climb a tree.
* Play a board or card game. Put a puzzle together.
Cranium Games offers a free “Try Something Different” chart to help you get started on the new-and-improved you. The idea is to get family or friends together for five minutes of brainstorming, followed by creating a list of the items you’d like to try together. Download the chart at Hasbro’s “Try Something Different, Together.”
Adapted from www.christianpersonalfinance.com.
Tags: Cranium Games, experiment, new activities, stay young