Dive Off the Deep End: Are You Adventurous?

When it comes to adventure, I might or might not be your girl. On one hand, I love learning new things & exploring.  Now on the other hand, I have zero courage when it comes to being daring. Skydiving, bungee jumping, rock climbing…yeah, NOPE! Heights aren’t my friend, & I get motion sickness if I’m not driving a car. I did good to rappel down a waterfall & zipline a few years back. Actually, the guides had to trick me by saying it was the only way back to where we came from, so I had no choice but to go down the waterfall. It ended up I could walk back up a hill when I got to the bottoms, so I felt accomplished after that & would do it again.

     Now when it comes to traveling, trying new foods, & learning new things, I’m all in! I love to learn, which is part of the reason I love reading. Something I learned this week was the word “neophobia” aka the fear of anything new. Many of us have this fear but might not acknowledge it. I’m not as extreme as being afraid of “anything” new, but I don’t like the unknown at all. The planner in me just won’t allow it.

     Neophobia can be such a hindrance on your life, & who wants to be stagnant? Getting out of your comfort zone is uncomfortable mentally & sometimes physically, but you can’t grow without doing it. I’ve been trying to push myself more as I’ve gotten older because I want to feel like I’ve experienced all that life has to offer. I just can’t be boxed in! However, the fear of water is still something I’m working on so I can eventually learn how to swim (Nevermind I’ve had lessons 4 times & still can’t float).

The Benefits of Trying New Things 

     Undeniably, there’s way more to gain than to lose by trying new things. Obviously, one benefit is to experience something you’ve never done before. Hello, bucket list! But there’s so much more to venturing into uncharted territory. Here are a few I snagged from some websites:

• Shows you how strong you are 
• The opportunity to appreciate other people’s experiences
• Gives you a little edge on life 
• Might find your purpose 
• Figure out what you do & don’t like 
• Making memories 
• Meeting new people, especially those who have different perspectives 
• Brings you out of your shell
• Understand your fears better 
• Start to value time more 
• It’s healthy 
• Makes you more interesting 
• More life experiences 
• Humbles you 

     We all know that self-care practices benefit us mentally. That may actually be more valuable than the other benefits. Reducing stress is a major one! Just knowing something is no longer unknown takes some of the anxiety away. In addition, you may discover something that’s a good self-care practice for you. It’ll also improve your mental well-being. Having that sense of mental serenity is essential to thriving in life.

Preparing to Take the Leap

     When you’re adding so much positivity to your life, you can’t help but have a better quality of life. You learn so much about other people, places, & things, & as a result, we learn more about ourselves. The more you know, the more you grow! You just have to know how to get into that habit of learning on a regular basis. Here’s how:

1. Determine what you want to know: Before you go on this new quest, you have to know what you want to learn. This can be done through goal setting or just hearing about something that intrigues you. Usually, I stumble across something that piques my interest, & then get into finding out more. 

There’s no harm in making a list of things for this. Unless you have time in real time to begin your quest, jot down some ideas as you come across them & cross them off as you learn. 

1. Set goals: It’s always good to have goals, but the more specific they are, the more likely you are to achieve them. Figure out what you want to know & set a deadline for yourself. It may actually spark new goals later. 
2. Use multiple mediums: Mix & match how you learn & where you learn it from. There’s so much information out here at our disposal, so take advantage of it. We have the internet, books, tv shows, & other people, so get out there & see what you can learn.
3. Put learning into your schedule: The avid planner in me says to plan, plan, & plan some more. Prioritize learning what you want to know. It may turn out to be something you want to incorporate into your daily life (or not). Make yourself make time for these new experiences. 
4. Surround yourself with other learners: Habits can rub off on you, so if you keep people around who love to learn, you may catch that vibe too. My travel crew loves exploring & trying new foods, so we don’t have the drama of dealing with everyone wanting to do something different. Not to mention, you can learn new things from other people & vice verse. 

     The love of learning can take you to all kinds of places you may have never thought of. Your gain in knowledge allows you to have more to pass on to others. Life is about sharing, & the most important things you can share are free. 

     I’m dead set on showing my kids everything I’ve seen, learned, & experienced. I want them to actually experience more than I have. As a parent, you should want your kids to have more than yourself, hence the reason I take them to different cities, states, & countries & push them to try new foods & experiences. More knowledge, more experiences, more life, Evolvers!

     Check out some of these extras I came across for ideas on trying new things. You may come across something that grabs your attention & changes your life!

https://www.trackinghappiness.com/try-something-new/

https://www.betterup.com/blog/learn-something-new?hs_amp=true

https://www.minimalismmadesimple.com/home/try-something-new/

https://castawaywithcrystal.com/100-things-to-do-this-year/