If you had told me five years ago that I would be studying computer science, attending college in Mississippi, and holding leadership positions in a sorority, I would’ve thought you were crazy. Five years ago I detested working with computers, had never been to Mississippi, and didn’t know anything about Greek Life beside the silly reputations. Now, I have never been happier and never been more in touch with myself than I am now.
I am usually a fan of change, as a military kid I had to be, but sometimes we dislike dislike or fear big life changes. But regardless of your opinion on change, it is essential to embrace it to grow as a person and learn about yourself. Whether you fail or succeed, a challenge will teach you more about who you are than staying in your comfort zone ever could.
If you’re in college, join that club that you’ve always been curious about. Maybe it’s the fencing team although you’ve never held a sabre before, maybe it’s the floral design club because you liked the bouquets at your sister’s wedding, or maybe it’s the Quidditch class so you can meet more Potterheads.
If you’ve graduated and moved to a new town, maybe you don’t know anyone there and your cat isn’t quite satisfying your social needs. Join a gym with that cool new pilates workout you saw on Instagram but have been afraid to try. Take a painting, pottery, or cooking class to get in touch with your creative side and meet people in the same boat.
You might be surprised by what you find. Perhaps an inner chef who’s been hiding, maybe you’re a fantastic Seeker ( not sure how this help in the real world, but it is a talent respected by many), or maybe you’ll make a good friend.
You’ll notice that this article is full of ‘maybe’s'. You’ll never know the incredible things you can do or the dynamic person who can become unless you step out of your bubble and try something new. It might be terrifying, I know I have spent too many hours stressing about the new meeting I’m going to tomorrow or possible failure in a leadership position I applied for. I know next time I try something new I’ll probably have to pull together courage and fight with my introvert side just to say I’ll try it. But in my experience, everything I have tried has been rewarding in some way and those few moments of fear look silly to me now.
If you want to do something new, but the idea of starting something you have no experience in leaves you shaking in your boots: kick off the boots, throw on some sensible shoes, and take off down the path. Whether you timidly put one foot in front of the other or start out at a sprint, you’ll find the path to be a lot less scary than you thought.
