When the New Year approaches, people often make resolutions to start the year off on the right track. Some resolutions are achieved while others are quickly forgotten a few weeks into January. Everyday your focus should be on being the best version of yourself that you can be. One way to accomplish that is to learn new things. Sometimes learning something new is scary or uncomfortable, but you have to have to courage to push past those emotions and move forward. This year dare to learn something new. Not sure where to begin? Try a New Year Dare listed below.
Dare To…
- Give your time instead of money – Monetary donations have there place, but taking the time out from your daily routine to donate your precious time to an important cause is a very valuable gift to give.
- Exercise your mind daily – Challenge your mind every day. Use your memory to dial close family, friends and frequently used numbers when making a phone call. Play games that stimulate your mind such as Scrabble, Sudoku or Mind Trap.
- Learn a new skill – It is never too late to take on a new hobby or skill. Play an instrument, try a new language, go ballroom dancing or push yourself to go back to school and get your MBA and that much needed pay increase.
- Use a new technology – Technology plays such a vital role in our daily lives. Stay ahead of the curve by downloading a new innovative app or consider starting a blog or video blog (vlog) to document your journey. Consider build an online portfolio of your work. Use Facebook Live to stream a positive quote or helpful tip in 30 to 60 seconds (or less).
- Attend a live concert – The twist is it has to be in a genre of music that you would not normally listen to. Consider documenting your experience on the blog/vlog you just started from the previous dare.
- Join a Meetup – Find a Meetup.com group to join that is pertaining to a topic that you don’t know much about but you could benefit from joining. Doing so will give you the opportunity to learn something new and network with a new group of people.
- Face your fear -Everyone is afraid of something, but it is important to not let your fears stagnate and control your life. Face your fears head on so that you can live the life of your dreams. Get on an elevator, call a family member you haven’t spoken to in years, speak in front a small or large group of people. Introduce yourself to someone you want to get to know but feel intimidated by.
- Let go – Do not hold onto unhealthy relationships also known as baggage. If it is not good for you or the other person walk away. Make room for the right individual to walk into your life! You can also donate old clothes or household items that you no longer need. Pass it on to someone that may appreciate it. Have a garage sell, sell it on eBay or donate to a local thrift store.
- Go to your favorite restaurant – You must eat something on the menu that you have never had before. If you have eaten everything on the menu (since it is your favorite restaurant) try eating at a dish at a restaurant with a culture you do not know much about.
- Keep better track of your money – Stay on top of your finances. Make a budget and stick to it. Start an emergency savings account and save a portion of your salary to this account for use in emergency situations (i.e., unexpected illness, laid off from employment without pay, air conditioning stops working in 100° weather, etc). Use digital coupons for grocery store purchases and incorporate other tactics to live within your means.
- Live in the moment – Take an unexpected trip, go on a road trip without a destination. Learn as much as you can while on this sporadic trip. Have dinner for one at a restaurant. Compliment a stranger. Live in the moment, just do not do anything illegal or that you would regret later.
- Have a conversation – Strike up a conversation with someone much older than you or someone much younger than you. Make note of what you learned or the key takeaways from the conversation.
As you embark upon the year ahead evaluate the areas in your life that you are seeking to grow the most. Try out a New Year Dare listed above to get started. Some of the dares will take you out of your comfort zone but in the end you will learn from the experience. Document the journey, by doing so there is an opportunity to reflect on the overall growth and learning process. Most importantly never stop learning.
Posted by: Dave Landry
