Last week I sat on the edge of the pool, nearly too nervous to jump in. The bottom of the pool felt miles away, but I was ready. Once I realized the water wasn’t so bad I gained the confidence to swim a few laps with my best friend by my side.
Over the weekend, as colorful lights flickered on the ceiling and roller skaters zoomed around me, I slid my feet into some skates and tied them as tight as possible. I stood up and gained my balance on the floor. It turned out it wasn’t so bad.
Lindsay Trombly | Argonaut
Those were just two days of my week. These two days, even with the smallest of fears accomplished, I feel like I’ve been living life to the fullest. In between the stresses of school and work, I’ve been breaking free from my norms. This week I swam laps even though I’m not a confident swimmer, and I tried roller skating for the first time even though I haven’t touched a pair of skates since I was little. Both of these instances felt like great ways to attempt new things and adventure.
It was especially great to break the same old schedule of things I normally do every week and do things that I don’t tend to do on a normal basis. Life as a college student can be boring sometimes when you stick to that same schedule every day. Sometimes, you need change.
This monotony stems from the walking path you take to class every day, the same place you get lunch and even the same coffee you order every day. These might not seem extreme, but they lend to the need for a touch of something new every once in a while.
We often enjoy doing the same thing every day, to a certain extent. Facing your fears sometimes can be a good thing, though and you might find something that you enjoy even better. This can be as simple as changing that path to class, going to a different spot for lunch, or getting that different coffee flavor you’ve never had before.
It can even go to that extreme of checking those boxes off your bucket list. It can vary from skydiving, going on a cruise to traveling the country — you name it.
You may be scared, but what’s the worst that could happen? In these new experiences make sure to include the people you care about most. Invite them or share your experience by telling them about it later.
We can all attempt to be more grateful for the small and large adventures we have every day. One step toward proving that, is to go out of that comfort zone. We need to break the cage that we trap ourselves into.
Life is too short to stay in our comfort zones. It’s time to make a change — you may be surprised that what you find you actually really enjoy.
Lindsay Trombly can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @lindsay_trombly