Try Something New

This post is a reprint of this past Sunday’s lead newsletter article. I wanted to share it here today as I renew my commitment of doing, trying and learning new things on a daily basis.

‘New’ will be this week’s theme as I post and share with you some of the big and little ‘new’ things I do or try each day.

Will you join me and do, try or learn something new each day? Reply and share your ‘new’ adventures.

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Try Something New
Volume I, Issue 34, September 6, 2009

It is so easy to fall into a rut, to find yourself doing the same things every day, eating the same foods, talking about the same old news.

This past year has been a whirlwind for me as I first joined Twitter and then started The Dreaming Cafe.

It was all new…Social media. WordPress themes. Hosting accounts. New code to learn. Blogging.

I discovered a whole new online world I never knew existed. Today I can’t imagine my life without either. I have met so many new and wonderful people, made new friends, and discovered new passions.

I even traveled to some new cities – Denver, CO and Dodge City, KS.

I taught my first workshop and I held my first tele-conference.

But, somewhere along the line all the ‘new’ was gone.

I fell into a rut. Work. Write. Tweet. Write. Work. Eat. Tweet. It was all the same.

What happened?

It is not uncommon to stop trying new things. We all love comfort and what is more comforting that following a routine, doing what we know, eating our favorite foods and hanging out with people we know?

A friend of mine makes it one of her goals to experience as many ‘new’ things as she can. She even keeps a list of them as a reminder – not only what she has tried, but as a reminder to keep adding to her list.

It takes effort and self-awareness to realize we have fallen into a routine, a rut.

Over the last few days I realized that as much as I have going on in my life, most of it was ‘old’ stuff.

I realized that sometimes trying new things means being a beginner. This isn’t a comfortable place to be. I wrote about this last wee, about how hard it is and how intimidating it can be to be a beginner, not knowing how to do something.

But, today I decided I am just going to have fun trying new things.

So what’s on my agenda…

Well, first, I am going to paint. Those new watercolors I bought last week, well they are coming out of the box tomorrow and while you are reading this newsletter I am going to be mixing colors, painting shapes and having fun.

Then, I am going to get my new Flip Ultra HD Camcorder out and start making some videos. Who cares how bad they are? Maybe if they are really bad I’ll learn what not to do so I can make something really good one day.

Next, I am breaking out my cookbooks and trying some new recipes. If I want to change my diet and feel better I have to eat differently. I enjoy cooking, so why not have fun with it?

Oh yeah, one other BIG new thing I will be doing, is having a roommate when I travel to Cleveland at the end of the month. I always travel alone and enjoy it. I was never one for staying overnight at friends houses, or having pajama parties, so having a roommate will be really new for me. And, my roommate, well other than reading her blog, tweeting with her and corresponding via email, I’ve never met her in person or even heard her voice before. It is going to be a brand new experience and I am really looking forward to hanging out with her and getting to know her better.

These are just a few of the new things I am going to do. And, I think I am going to start keeping a list, just like my friend.

I’ve realized that trying new things, doing new things, meeting new people…all the ‘new’ in our lives help us learn and grow. It is what makes life an adventure.

How about you? What new things are you going to try?

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