It’s fascinating the ways you become molded or stuck in little boxes. Sometimes a box fit to you by society. Sometimes by your upbringing. Sometimes by your own self.
You “become” someone through the years and don’t allow yourself to change or wonder. “This is who I am.” The End.
But you don’t have to stay the person you’ve been.
You forget you can change anything at any moment. You can decide to be someone new, someone different. Evolve.
You’re never too old to try new things. To play. There’s no way you’ve learned all there is to learn or tried all there is to try. I don’t care how old you are. There’s always new experiences to be had in our ever-changing society.
Life is an Adventure
Take a step back. Look at things from a broader perspective. Are you done living?
I’m willing to bet you’re not. Older people sometimes think their too old to try new things. And not just the elderly. Look at some of us in our 30’s to 50’s. You go to work, come home, eat dinner and watch Netflix. Then repeat every day for years.
You’ve lost your luster for life! Your taste for magic! You’re love of living!
You forget how fun it is to explore and try new things.
But it’s not too late to breathe some life back into your dusty old routine.
Let’s get it going! Here are 5 ways to spice up your life.
1. Try New Foods
“At this age I know what I like.” Do you now? So you’ve tried every food? Every food combination? Every method of cooking every food combination? I call BS. And even if you had, taste buds change over the years. I used to hate avocado. Now I’m all about the guac.
It’s not even about the food. It’s about being brave enough to try something new. It’s about tasting something different. Experiencing a new flavor.
Maybe you’ll hate it. That’s fine. But maybe you’ll discover a new love. Have you ever seen someone’s face light up when they taste something delicious? Or when they’re surprised or delighted? Their eyes sparkle. It’s what being alive feels like.
That’s what I want for you. Make it your mission to try a new food this week. You don’t have to try snails. Start small. Try a food you hated as a kid. Try it with your kid. See what happens.
2. Go New Places
This one is sometimes limited by funds. We can’t all afford a trip to Paris. *Sigh
But that needn’t stop you.
Put on your Indiana Jones’ hat and get to exploring. Even in small towns there are new places to see.
My kids and I sometimes go adventuring. If we have time to kill, we turn down a random road we’ve never been on. We found turkeys once. My daughter (only 5 or 6 at the time) called them goblins. She was thinking “gobblers”. We still laugh about it.
You might find funny signs, pretty houses, haunted houses, inspiration for your yard. You never know. It’s fun.
And if you can, go bigger. Further. No bigger lie has been told than “It’s the same everywhere.” No. It’s really not.
The world is full of variety. In thinking. In speaking. In culture. In appearance. It’s a big world FULL of diversity. And it’s a beautiful thing to behold.
It’s my favorite form of trying new things. You feel like a real life explorer. You might feel nervous. Stepping into a country where you don’t speak the language can be intimidating. But people do it all over the world. And you can too.
You’ll never regret travel. You’ll only regret the places you never went.
3. Watch a Movie You’d Never Choose
I hate sad movies. I avoid them at all costs. My tear ducts are renegades and I have no control over them.
I cry watching Disney movies. Everyone always looks over at me if something sad happens to see if I’m crying. *Spoiler Alert – I am.
A friend convinced me to watch “A Star is Born”. I’d been resisting. I don’t like to cry.
He said “Pushing boundaries and trying new things is how you know you’re alive.” To which I replied “I know I’m alive because I can feel my eyes blinking.”
He was right though. I watched the movie. I cried. A lot. But it was a beautiful, although sad, movie. It had great music. And I felt a little more alive afterward. A little more grateful for my life.
You never know what perspective might shift when you step out of your comfort zone. Maybe for you it’s scary movies. Or autobiographies.
But trying new things gives us a more complete view of the world. Instead of seeing only what we like.
4. Climb a Tree
When was the last time you climbed a tree? “Why would I climb a tree?” you might ask. Well why not?
Kids don’t have reasons they do things. It looks fun, so they do it. Simple as that.
Where’s your inner child? How long has it been since you allowed that child to come out and play?
It’s fun to play. I climbed a tree the other day. And you know what? I sat in that tree and laughed at how silly I felt. And when I got down I felt happy. For no other reason than I remembered for a moment how it felt to be a kid.
What if you jumped in a puddle? Or played in the rain? Kids do these things. And they’re so much happier than adults. Who says you can’t be though? Who says you can’t have fun?
As you get older, you might need to be more careful. Don’t climb too big a tree. Have someone help you maybe. Wear non-slip shoes when playing in the water.
But live. You paly it safe in order to live longer. And in playing it safe you stop living. That’s not a very good trade off is it?
Add some life back into the living. Play.
5. Say “Yes” to New Experiences
Maybe a friend invites you to a painting class. Sounds boring. You don’t paint. Says who? Paint. Try something new.
If you only do things you’re good at, you’re limiting your own life. Now that’s boring.
Get out of your comfort zone. That’s where the magic is. It’s where you learn new things. About yourself and the world.
It’s where you laugh. Where you smile. Where you find pride in yourself. Confidence in yourself. Don’t take yourself so seriously all the time.
You’re allowed to suck at something. And you’re allowed to have fun doing it anyway.
Who says you have to be good at something to enjoy it? That’s bananas.
And you’ll never get good at anything without trying new things.
Try New Things. Say Yes.
Life is rich with adventure at any age. Modify the adventures to fit your needs. But go on the fucking adventure!
Taste new flavors. Discover new favorites.
Watch a sad movie from the comfort of your tree fort. Take pillows. And tissue.
Say “yes” whenever you can. There are so many reasons to say “no”. I’m sure you’ve got several excuses in your head right now.
You don’t want to try gross food. You don’t like bugs that live in trees. Crying sucks. Going new places can mean you get lost. It’s scary. It’s uncomfortable.
Adventurers aren’t concerned over these things. And they know a thing or two about living.
Be an adventurer. Show your kids you’re never too old to play. Show you’re parents. Show yourself.
It might feel silly. It might feel uncomfortable. But I’d be willing to bet it’ll also feel exhilarating. Exciting. It’ll feel like you’re really alive.
And what’s the point of living without that?
You only get one life. Just one. Each day is a blessing. Make that blessing count.
Go on the fucking adventure.