30 New Things To Try Each Day.

Who would have thought that when I was a 7 year old prissy child that I would have learned the most important lesson of my life.

I stood beside my aunt looking up at a red and black roller coaster in Busch Gardens, Williamsburg. In my sassy, princess voice I said “I will not go on anything that goes upside down, I don’t know why, I just won't”. I scrunched up my fist and shook them down a bit to say “I’m done.” Yet, I hadn’t started anything yet.

The cars flew past us with screams piercing our eardrums. It was almost as if my entire life aligned when my aunt looked at me and said “You have to at least try it once.” “If you don’t like it you never have to do it again.”

My tiny head tilted to the side as I contemplated what she was saying and without hesitation I joined her in the long line to my first upside down roller coaster, the Big Bad Wolf. There was no fear as I walked, in fact I was incredibly calm even when I was being strapped down to the seat and my feet were dangling beneath me.

The car took off up the massive 100 foot track. At the time it seemed like this was a long way up and when the coaster was built in 1984 it was.

Then the drop came, it sent me into a tranquil feeling that was not only calming, it was the start of a major compound effect.

The world around me changed that very moment, my family couldn’t get me off roller coasters that day and I have now done multiple road trips hunting down these amazing beasts of tranquility. But it didn’t stop there. All over I seek new things to try from little mundane tasks throughout my daily life to bungee jumping in other countries.

My aunt probably has no idea that she is the sole purpose as to why I have always been a thrill seeker but at the end of the day it is the only thing that makes me feel alive.

Believing in your own abilities to make it out of any situation is the key to personal growth and confidence. This can also cause turmoil within relationships. Finding others like me has proven to be hard, oftentimes leaving me with a tad bit of loneliness. But why is it so hard to find others who enjoy trying new things?

Studies have suggested that we as humans fear the unknown outcome even more so than knowing a bad outcome is going to happen. If you are one of those people who fear everything or even have a few fears that come to mind, what makes them scary to you? And are you okay knowing you are holding yourself back from conquering perhaps the greatest gift you could possibly give yourself.

Had my aunt allowed my 7 year old self to rest on those words, I would not be me today. Knocking out any type of fear that has come to mind turned into a way of life for me. The unknown outcome is what thrills me.

Now it is time for me to repay the favor to you. Don’t worry, I am not going to ask you to plunge out of an airplane or swim with sharks unless you want to. But I do have a 30 day challenge I urge you to accept. Try one new thing every day for the next 30 days and leave your results in the comments or your own story for me to read.

What you will gain: The best gift of all, truly living. You will change the way you view things and realize what it feels like to be a little more free than you started. Even more importantly it will set your habits up to push past those fears and be a more determined person.

When you start, write the daily tasks in a journal. See what changed you and what you still didn’t like. And remember, you only have to try it once. If you still don’t like it, you never have to do it again.

You do not have to do these in order but feel free to if you so desire.

Spend 30 minutes of your day today with headphones in while playing air guitar and rock out.

Go to the supermarket and pick out a piece of fruit or a vegetable you have never eaten. Now, try it.

Take a class of something you have never done before. It can be fitness, cooking, art, or a new craft you always wanted to try. The sky's the limit.

Go on a day trip by yourself next weekend.

Toss something in the trash or give it to charity that you haven’t used in the past three months.

Write a quick mantra for yourself and say it every morning as you awake.

Avoid television for a day. Replace it with a book.

Do something kind for someone that you wouldn’t usually do.

Next time you go shopping, go to a store you have never been to and find a gift for someone in your life.

By a homeless person a candy bar or bottle of water on a hot day. Leave it at their belongings if you don’t want to talk to them.

Give up sugar for one day.

Walk around your neighborhood after eating dinner.

Buy yourself a meal and eat it in the restaurant while reading a book.

Have a game night with some friends or family. I suggest pandemic.

Give yourself an hour of “me” time today. Book a massage, lay in bed. Up to you. It is your time.

If you usually wear your hair up in a ponytail, wear it down today.

Wear something from your closet that you haven’t worn in a long time or perhaps never at all.

Write what you are grateful for today.

Set up a bird feeder, bat house, or even a bea hive and watch the difference you've made.

Call that person you haven’t spoken to in years but still think about from time to time. See how they are doing.

Paint a rock with a positive message on it and give it to a stranger.

Write a short story.

Go get your nails done and try a new color. If you are usually a bright colored person get a more neutral color like a nude pink. If you are a neutral color gal, pick out that bright pink you have always had your eye on.

Ask a stranger directions to somewhere random.

Compliment a random person today on something you notice.

Go shopping for something sexy and wear it for yourself or your significant other… uh la la

Remember when you were a teen and you had your star crush on your wall? Do that again today only this time make it your idol with a sticky note that says what you admire and why. Take that with you and start seeing those qualities in yourself. You are brave and just as awesome as they are. It is time to show it.

Skip a 5 dollar latte today and replace it with cold water. See how much water actually wakes you up. Studies have proven this, caffeine was designed for athletics not sitting at a desk in your office. -If this is too much for you… A. You are addicted and B. Add a cup of water to your coffee. Every sip of coffee you take, drink a gulp of water. I PROMISE YOU WILL THINK ME LATER ONCE THIS BECOMES A ROUTINE. (Or replace soda if that is your vice)

Keep track of everything you spend today. Did you really need that coffee?

Last but not least, if you made it this far you are the most amazing being in the universe:-) Keep it up.

Learn something new. I don’t care if it is something random. Who invented the scissors? Where did your favorite author spend their childhood? Why is the sky blue? Be creative and/or simple.

You made it a month of trying new things, now what's next? Well my friend it is up to you but whatever you do, don’t stop here. Keep going and watch new habits form everyday eventually leading up to that one fear that plagues you.

Be unapologetically you with this assignment. And don’t forget to tell me or your journal the new strides you have made.