From a young age, many of us are pushed to trail a well-known path, whether it is how to act on a date, or what to wear for your body type, or how to do specific things. It feels as if though for every experience and event in the world there is a guide, a how-to manual, and everything that's out there has been tried.
In Russian, there’s an expression that roughly translates to, “Don’t step on the same rake.” Logically that makes a lot of sense because if you step on a rake it’s going to slam you in the face. But the idea behind it is that you should not make the same mistake twice. We always hear such things as "not to follow the path that has not been walked" or just to "play it safe," but what if you do not want to do that?
There are so many choices and options in the world to examine that it gets overwhelming at times. Like options at a restaurant: the menu might have 50 meals, but usually, you will go for the safest option. Especially if it’s a place you’ve never been to before. Not all people are adventurous and spontaneous enough to follow through with new and scary things, and that’s totally understandable, BUT it also closes off possibilities for you to branch out.
Experiences make life more interesting and more fulfilling, even if those experiences are not that great. Think about your favorite movies: the protagonist must go through struggles and heartbreak, or killer zombies, to get to their happy ending. And you are the protagonist of your own life. So, how does one start to break out of their shell?
The answer is a simple word: Yes. There is a movie, based on a book, called “Yes Man.” For those of you who have seen it, great! For those who have not, the main plot revolves around a guy named Carl who has been saying no his whole life. His love life is a mess, his friendships are dying, and the higher up staff at his job ignores him fully, so no promotions for Carl. One day, he meets an old friend who invites him to this “YES” seminar, and while Carl thinks it’s crazy, he decides to give it a shot. He starts saying yes, to everything. At first, it does not help him at all, but after a while, all these good things start happening to him. Eventually, he learns that he should say yes to the things he truly wants to do, instead of everything that’s offered to him.
The reason I told you that is because not all the things you try will be great. You might try scallops for the first time and realize it’s one of the most disgusting things on the planet, but now you know. On the other hand, you might think that scallops are the gods' gift to the art of edible cuisine. You will never know until you try. And that’s the wonderful thing about life- there are so many options and so many things to try, that you should not restrict yourself to a path that has been followed, because as long as you are not hurting anyone, and having a wonderful time, why restrict yourself?
You should enjoy the world and all the endless possibilities that you are given, and able to take because it will make your life truly filled with experiences and you will have something to tell the youths. Because when you become famous, the stories you will tell, many will be able to connect to, and it will make you more approachable and charming and loved. And trust me, following what your heart truly desires is one of the most fulfilling things that will happen to you. You just have to take the first step into the unknown and I promise you, you will not be disappointed. I believe in you.
