100 New Things Challenge

Starting something new to loosen my grip

Where do you go when you feel stuck? I’ve been so focussed on my music, on what I’m writing, on the plan to get new songs together, and on what to post about it, that I think I’ve been squeezing the joy right out of it with a death grip. I think I’ve forgotten that an entire world exists outside of my tunnel vision. That tunnel hasn’t been very inspiring to me lately. And I feel stuck. So I’m starting this challenge as a way to get out of my head. To have some fun and loosen my grip.

I love a list. Almost as much as I love crossing things off of a list. So I’m making a list of 100 new things I want to try, and it will keep evolving as I think of more new things I want to try. There’s no rules to this challenge. This is an exercise of freedom so I’m letting go of my compulsion to set a structure to this ha. No timeline. No requirements. No thing too small or too big to count. I just want to document my adventures of trying 100 new things.

I’m a creature of habit. Big time lover of my comfort zone. I’ve watched the same movies and shows over and over and I have a go to list of worn out records I gravitate towards for all my moods. Favourite (I spell things with unnecessary “u”s because I’m Canadian… so sorry but I can’t let them go now) lyric possibly of all time for me is the top of the chorus of Landslide… Stevie sings “I’ve been afraid of changing, cause I built my life around you”. Resonates at a soul level for me. I know it’s a human thing to be afraid of change, but I’ve got that fear in spades. I am digging in with a bulldozer these days in therapy (sooooo fun!), working on understanding why I’m wired this way, but my nature is to hold on tightly to a moment to stay inside the comfortable, and I don’t want to be that way anymore. I want a more flexible mind. So this is me working on it.

A few different articles I’ve been reading lately, talk about the benefits of trying new things. That it actually causes your brain to find motivation, which leads to increased neuroplasticity. I like the sound of that. And I like the sound of giving myself permission to be terrible at whatever the something new is. That’s normal. As a recovering perfectionist ha this is going to be a good exercise for me in just enjoying the experience. Letting go of an outcome. Being present. The only point of this whole thing is the act of trying something new. And sharing it. And that’s it!

If you feel like joining me, we can do it together! I’d love to hear if you have any ideas of new things I should try! Here’s a starting list I have going in the notes on my phone.

• --start a substack (god that felt good to cross off!)

• finish a crossword puzzle

• karaoke in public

• attempt skateboarding

• take a Tennessee camping trip

• sing a song in Spanish

• trivia night with a team name and everything

• take a pottery class

• take a cooking class

• skydive

• try a cold plunge ice bath thing

Will report back with what I’m learning as I give these and more a whirl. From one wandering soul to another, I hope you know you’re loved as you are.

<3 T