Try Any/Every/SOMEthing!

(Trying out a new hairdo.  Not my usual style/taste, but definitely fun to try and good to know for future special occasions!)

 

There are a lot of options we have thrown in our paths every day. Even at a coffee shop, the different selections, flavors, even sizes (which to me ultimately mean prices), baffle me at times. I am a little picky and am very in tune to what I know I will enjoy. I used to be very set in my ways and always order the exact same thing at the exact same places. I wasn’t scared, but I was definitely comfortable…which finally turned into bored.

 

In the past few years, however, I have set up a little challenge for myself. I vowed to try every food offered to me. It started with alligator, then deer, then squirrel (what do you expect from Alabamians?), etc. I had so much fun! Even if something wasn’t quite my forte`, I still enjoyed educating myself and ever-so-slightly expanding my palate and knowledge of different foods.

 

My point in this rambling of food tasting experiences is that trying something, even if you KNOW you won’t like it, is so good for you. You’ll grow mentally, change physically, and – depending on what you’re trying – maybe even affect you emotionally.

 

Very few things in life are permanent. Think about the worst haircut you’ve ever had. Did it continue to look bad after a month? I didn’t think so. I have always been bold when changing my hair or trying out a new outfit style, but I know that is not true for everyone. If you’ve thought about doing something, just go for it! Whether it is trying a new haircut or color, getting a piercing, doing your makeup differently, wearing something you never would have thought would work on you, painting a mural on a wall in your home, even dating someone so not your type; the important thing is to try. All of these things, and millions more, are something fun and educational in the long run but they won’t ruin your life if they don’t work out well.

 

That’s the magic of life these days. We can all take a chance and just say yes. Eventually, my “food-bucket-list” turned into an “everything-bucket-list”. I find myself saying yes to wild ideas and activities, just because I know nothing I can think up will legitimately talk me down from just trying it. I think it also helps having one of my favorite quotes ever-present in the back of my head: “In the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take, the relationships we were afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make.”― Lewis Carroll

 

I can’t tell you how many older people, when I speak about my travels, jobs, moves, etc. look me in the eye and say, “Man, I wish I had done that when I was your age. I always wanted to ______.” It breaks my heart.

 

That’s the best part of all of this: you can try something one time and absolutely hate it or fail at it, but you just wash your hands of it and can keep your chin up and proudly proclaim that you tried it. You did it. Against all odds, you did it.

 

So I ask you to toss your reservations aside and just say yes to whatever comes next. I will bet you won’t regret it, and I will bet you’ll get a hell of a story out of it.

 

Xo
Lauren

 

P.s. If you haven’t seen the movie Zootopia, you may not appreciate this song, but I had it stuck in my head while writing this post…Try Everything! How appropriate 😉

3 Comments

  1. Lauren, l love you so much , & liked the writings — but a a little caution is necessary also !!! I hope you never have too many regrets —you truly are one of a kind (0ne of the good kind) let’s keep it that way !!! Your Nana

Leave a Reply to Bob Harvey Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

clear formPost comment