After posting “Five Reasons Why Trying Something New Will Change Your Life,” I received many requests for suggestions on “new things.” Here’s a starting point for anyone looking to move outside their comfort zone and trying something new or different.
Sure, many of you will have already experienced some of the suggestions on this list, but the idea here is to get you thinking—a starting point. Others may find a dozen or more items on this list as great ideas. So find something here that might stimulate you and get you started.
- Take a class on a subject unrelated to your career, community, or family—something you’ve always been interested in, but never made the time to pursue.
- Go to a new restaurant, preferably an ethnic restaurant and try something different on the menu.
- Take a yoga class, if you’ve never done.
- Meditate.
- Get a massage. It surprises me as how many people I meet, mostly men, who have never had a professional relaxing or therapuetic massage.
- Go to work differently: ride your bike, walk, take a train, use Uber or carpool.
- Cook something at home you’ve never tried.
- Learn to play an instrument or take singing lessons
- Go see live music—a genre you’ve never seen or listened to much before
- Start a blog—if only for yourself
- Take up and master a hobby or craft you’ve always wanted but always found an excuse not to; perhaps sewing, woodworking, or a restoration project (furniture, car or motorcycle)
- Learn a new language
- Travel to somewhere you’ve never been
- Go on a camping trip; sleep under the stars
- Volunteer for a local organization or at a local hospital
- Go to a local Toastmasters meeting
- Change the furniture around in your office, bedroom or home
- Plant a garden—even a patio planter garden
- Stand up paddle boarding —it’s so popular and great workout
- Attend a local “Meetup” in a subject area that interests you but not related to your work or home life. Remember, the idea here is to try something new — different
- Go to a different grocery store than you are used to
- Change phones—using Android? Switch to Apple, or vice versa
- Take a new and different physical fitness class: spin, kickboxing, boxing, Pilates, cross-fit
- Get out on the water—take a canoe trip, learn to sail, go fishing
- Ride a motorcycle
- Learn to ride a bike —a unicycle
- Play a board game with your family, partner or with friends
- Learn to drive a shift-drive car—stick shift
- Try a new sport; tennis, lacrosse, badminton, others
- Create art: paint on canvas, sculpt with clay or paper, draw or sketch with pencil, ink or charcoal
- Learn to juggle
- Raise chickens, ducks, or doves
- Photography and/or video; learn to edit
- Take dancing lessons: tango, swing, two-step, other
- Write a story, poem or article; for yourself or submit it to a website or newspaper magazine
Have an idea that should be added to this list? Please comment with your ideas below and keep the conversation lively and interesting. No matter what, try something new and different—do something you’ve never done today!
