BE BRAVE! TRY NEW THINGS

Acting on a whim can have satisfying results (honest)

Every year I say to myself it’s time to try new things and then it doesn’t happen.

I fall back into the same patterns and routines. Wake up, COFFEE, work, workout (sometimes), dinner, chores, TV and sleep.

Occasionally a friend will ask me to go to a new restaurant or check out a new store and that is pretty much the extent of what I do outside of the norm.

I mean trying new things is scary and uncomfortable. What if I hate it, what if I am terrible at it? All the negative thoughts circle around your mind that talk you out of it before you even step foot outside of your door!

After overthinking A LOT, on a whim I decided to join a dance class. Being a dancer was a dream of mine at a young age, and I never followed through for many reasons. The main one being a young Mom, which obviously took priority of being a backup dancer … right? LOL!

SO when I finally decided to start my “try new things chapter,” dance was the first thing I wanted to check off. I was so nervous walking in that first class, but I did it. It was a ton of fun and awkward, but the good outweighed the bad. All the sudden “trying new things” wasn’t so scary. Next I joined a TAI CHI class (highly recommend), then a YOGA class

By ASHLEY GRAVANO, Contributor, Mortgage Women Magazine

and then a meditation class, and now I am obsessed with trying new things!

Why all the sudden you ask? Am I no longer afraid? Oh, I am. … afraid of all the things I mentioned above still as I walk in these classes. BUT the fear didn’t stop me, it is now driving me. I want to experience something different and prove to myself that I am capable. Even If I hate it, I did it. I want to live, not just go through the motions. It took one step to change my thoughts of fear to thoughts of excitement for the next “new thing.”

Here are some tips to get started:

1. Face the Fear. I did it!

2. Be Realistic. It is OK to dream big but be realistic in your choices.

3 Make it a Priority. Put it on your calendar, pay in advance, and schedule it out.

Here are some ideas you can try:

1. Eat a new food

2. Listen to a new genre of music

3. Try a new physical activity

4. Learn a new language

“Be fearless in trying new things, whether they are physical, mental, or emotional, since being afraid can challenge you to go to the next level.”

—Rita Wilson n

Ashley Gravano is vice president of product solutions at Mortgage Cadence.