Let's Go, Jane!

I decided at the beginning of this year that I would push myself to try new things. It’s more than just a goal, it’s a vibe, an outlook, a lifestyle. I started a list, which I named “52 New,” to keep track of my progress. It seemed fitting, as I’m 52 years old and there are 52 weeks in a year. 

In order to stay on track, I must average one new experience or learn one new skill each week. Now, over halfway through the year, the list reads like a time capsule. Some of the items so far include:

• New experiences, like going to the opera at the Metropolitan, taking an airboat ride in the Florida Everglades, indoor skydiving, and going to Six Flags Great Adventure. 
• New foods, like shrimp roti, alpaca jerky, bubble tea, jackfruit, and an acai bowl.
• New approaches, like biking to school instead of driving, intermittent fasting, and using a different size of pencil lead.
• New skills, such as travel hacking, making a wordpress website, tinting my own eyebrows, and changing the oil in my car.
• Accomplishments, like completing a 40-mile bike ride and submitting a piece of writing to a national essay contest.
• Confidence-boosting items, like going to the movies by myself, or taking an overnight trip alone.

Only two of the items so far are negative. I got heat stroke at the amusement park, and tried bone marrow at a fancy restaurant (yuck!). 

This acai bowl, consumed halfway through a 30-mile bike ride, was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten.

“52 New” is only one of many lists on my phone. I love a good list. Three or more tasks or ideas and you’ve got yourself the start of a great one! My boyfriend is also list-friendly. We started a list of business ideas, those random suggestions we come up with during our late-night phone calls or spontaneous drives into the countryside. We have an “Options” list for all the things we want to do on future dates (restaurants that popped up on his Instagram feed, places we want to visit). I have lists for Travel Destinations, T-shirt Slogans, Sketch Comedy Ideas, and Karaoke Songs.

“We don’t know who we are until we see what can we do.” – Martha Grime

This feels like a time of generative thinking, after a long period of stagnation. I’ve changed everything I could possibly change about my life in the last two years, so this goal serves as a way of discovering and nurturing the new me. With about 20 weeks left to go in the year, I look forward to seeing where I find novelty next! Any suggestions?