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Try It – You’ll Like It

LifeHow many of us can say we took a chance on something and surprised ourselves by liking it?

Whether you were encouraged (is that really the word I’m looking for?) to eat your vegetables or try new ones, or you can remember the ad campaigns “try it – you’ll like it” for Life cereal, you can probably relate to the concept of, every once in awhile, stepping out of your comfort zone and trying – and even enjoying  – a new activity.

Now that my children are older, they often coax me into trying new things, possibly as payback for earlier days. But I think more often than not, it’s because they really want me to like something they like or to keep me ‘growing.’ Because of them I have tried going to movies by myself (LOVE it); tried different beers and mixed drinks (VARYING degrees of success); changed up my wardrobe (WAY uncomfortable); and am learning to let them make their own choices in life (SCARY and at the same time FREEING).

I did once volunteer to do the middle-of-the-night segment for Relay for Life, a fundraising walk for the American Cancer Society. I dreaded the getting up in the middle of the night and walking around for hours. When I actually got to the starting point and began walking, I loved the quiet, the feeling of community among the other middle-of-the-night walkers, and the sunrise that I got to experience first-hand. I bonded with my fellow walkers during our relay and we all went to breakfast together. It was a marvelous experience I would not have had if I had walked at a different (read: preferred) time of day! The middle-of-the-night segment is my absolute first choice now. So, as I contemplated challenging myself to do something else I never thought I would do, I realized I don’t have to take on a high-drama quest like skydiving or embarking on a jungle excursion to expand my horizons. The options for doable ways to get outside my comfort zone and expand my joy factor are limitless.

  • I could travel to a new destination by myself for a replenishing weekend (a little daunting, but definitely doable!)
  • I could train to run a half marathon or obstacle course. After all, isn’t that just moving a little faster and further than what I’ve already done?
  • I could skip grocery shopping for a month and just live on what we have in the pantry and freezer. Now wouldn’t that force me to get creative with meal planning?! And just imagine what new things I could try with a month’s worth of freed-up grocery shopping time! (Caveat to me: I may end up feeling guilty for having so much bounty that my family could survive for a month on what I’ve forgotten is in the cupboard.)
  • I could make the choice to not use my car to get me to and from work during these nice summer months – what would I see that I would never see driving?
  • I could require myself  to write each day as a way to reach my goal of actually writing a book . . .
  • I could volunteer for . . .
  • I could….

Life is so short. Try something new (that won’t scare your loved ones witless!) to get outside your comfort zone and expand your joy factor! Say YES to something you might usually answer to with a NO.  Often the things we don’t do in life are the things we end up regretting.   – M

Try new things

Inspire us – what did you say “yes” to that you found surprisingly to your liking?

0 Comments

  1. Great post! I tried America [admittedly just a tiny corner of it] on for size a couple of months or so back and surprised everyone who really knows me by absolutely loving it! I have also done the middle of the night segment of the walk and loved it for the same reasons you did. It is really special isn’t it! I hate travelling by myself and inevitably end up doing so – haven’t yet learned to love that ……… You got me thinking what else do I avoid doing that I might possibly just end up liking?

    1. Thanks Pauline. Very glad you liked your tiny corner of America. I think sampling in tiny bits is a great way to try new things. That middle of the night walk is very special, I’m so very glad I said yes. If traveling by yourself is the only way to ‘get there’, I’d say its worth the solo!!

  2. Great post! I always loved the Life commercial…it spoke volumes to me. Saying “yes” to contests and putting my writing out there, it’s been life changing.

  3. Having older kids is sooo freeing, isn’t it? Your post was a wonderful reminder that life is short no matter what age we are. Pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone makes one feel “alive” and reminds us we can do it!

    1. Thanks bhart! Judging from your blog looks like you are discovering the ‘post Mom era’ in a very fun way! We can do it and we need to make sure we remember that 🙂

  4. Have to say you got me thinking, M…the most obvious stretch outside my comfort zone was going on a mission trip to Cuba last year — that was ginormous on so many levels. One of the things I did to help strengthen my outside-my-comfort resolve was to begin donating blood (needle phobia)…will let you know if I do something else in near future. I AM now thinking… 🙂

    1. Like keeping those thought processes functioning Natine! Mission trip does seem like a pretty big ‘leap of faith’ and donating blood is soooo necessary – keep up the good works 🙂 Interested to find out what you decide to try next!!

  5. Good encouragement to try new things, but the funny baby picture at the end sealed the deal!
    Bhart’s comment about having older kids being freeing is true–for awhile–and then the grand-children come along and it all starts over! 🙂

    1. Isn’t she adorable!!! I just couldn’t pass her up when I found her out there on the internet 🙂
      The grandkids are amazing and I will admit to being much free-er with them than I was with my own children – most likely because I don’t feel totally responsible for how they turn out. I get to be the support person. I get to have fun with them and then send them on their way for Mom and Dad to sort out.
      I do worry about them though but that is one thing I need to do much less of. All the worry in the world will not keep safe, protect from harm, or make things go your way, which means I need to let it go.

  6. We often get so comfortable in our own little perimeters. It’s just getting past trying, and we find something new we like. 🙂

    1. That rings true more often than not. Even if we find we don’t like something – we don’t have to wonder anymore and we’ve expanded our horizons and can say we tried it. We should all be more ‘Mikey-esque’ and give it a try! 🙂

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