TRY NEW THINGS

Dearest Daughter, 

I love your hunger for life and willingness to try new things. In the case that your willingness wanes as you grow older, whether due to fears or a desire to stay comfortable (they're really both sides of the same coin), here is a gentle reminder to try new things. 

Before I jump into how variety is the spice of life, I want emphasize that consistency shouldn't be thrown out the window to make room for all the new things. Consistency and Variety can beautifully co-exist, depending on what behaviors you choose to live out consistently vs once in a while. For example, going wild and out every single night can severely hurt your mental and physical health, but if done once in a while, can be exhilarating and rejuvenating. On the other hand, washing your face every day keeps your skin clean; but only washing once in a while can result in some painful pimples and acne. In other words, keep some of your consistent routines sacred and close to your heart; it'll help you have a strong foundation, allowing you to try a lot of new things without feeling unbalanced or overwhelmed. Having said that, now let's get into novel experiences! Here are some of my reasons why I am so drawn to trying new things, even if they can be scary - especially if they are scary! 

1) It rewires my brain to believing failure is okay. B/c if you're trying something new, most likely you're going to fail. It's like learning how to walk. You stumble quite a lot in the beginning, but it's a necessary part of the process so your body becomes stronger and more balanced; and you learn what not to do. It's nothing to fear.

2) With new things come challenges and adversity. And this is the space you will grow the most. The more you try new things, it will build confidence in being able to handle new experiences and unexpected adversities you never saw coming.

3) Boy, oh boy, trying new things and failing at them can be quite humbling. It gives you opportunities to laugh at yourself, and really bring you outside of yourself. What I mean by that is it reminds you that there is a world much bigger than you. It'll make you appreciate whatever new thing your trying, whoever is teaching it to you and the people who have dedicated their lives to master it. 

4) You'll meet new people with the same interests and hunger for growth. Your connections will deepen with people who share the same experiences. And what is life without meaningful connections with fellow humans? 

5) A skill or discipline gained from one new experience can can be cross-utilized in different experiences. For example, when I learned how to play the flute, one of the fundamentals of flute was engrained in me. That is, to breathe properly through my diaphragm and control my breathing through my nose and mouth. That skill of breathing has benefitted me the rest of my life - from yoga, scuba diving, to minimizing anxiety attacks, and even childbirth. I remember the nurses commenting how awesome my breathing was during labor.  

I hope this letter encourages you to go try something new today, whether big or small. And I want to hear all about it.

With Love,

Mama