Simply do without this. It will free you to try new things.
We tend to only focus on what we’re already good at, where we are already strong. We don’t like to do things that we’re not good at, things we say we suck at. We tend to stop trying new things as adults, even before we become adults, because we’re too concerned about how we look while we do them. We will do anything to not look bad in the eyes of others. So, we cease trying new things. Or, we only try them in private. We must look good! At all costs! Including negating new, potentially valuable experiences.
Yet, this is a foible of humanity to not try new things, to not pursue new experiences, to be shut-down before we even get started. Why must we talk ourselves out of trying new things? How long will we stand in our own way? Shutting ourselves out of new things closes off our minds. We become more insular, less aware, less open. Things where we have had potential before disappear from our radar. They become things that could have been. How sad! What are we, 90!? No, we’re 40! And we’re in relatively good shape! Everything still works.
Why don’t we open ourselves back up again to the potential of new activities and allowing ourselves to suck at them for awhile? Sure, we won’t be great out of the gate, but that’s OK. We will work on it and enjoy the process of improvement. Perhaps most important, we will set a great example for the kids — and their dads and moms. We will embody trying new things and making hacks and improvements along the way. You know, the way a kid would do it. We always forget that young children (2, 3, 4, and 5 year-olds) do not know, nor care, that they suck at doing something early on. They simply do without care of looking bad. Re-learning this lesson from the kids is a great path to trying new things again.
Simply do without care of looking bad.
You won’t say you suck at it if you’re having fun at it.
What have you been holding yourself back from trying because you’re scared of looking bad in front of others? What looks fun to try to you? What looks fun to do to you? Give yourself the permission to go and do it! Damn the naysayers, including your old self, and go do it! Yes, people will have their opinions about what you should and should not do. So what? Do it anyway. What’s more important? You having fun again or someone else’s opinion standing in your way? Get out of your own way and go and do. Re-kindle the wonderful child’s lesson of doing without caring about others’ opinions, without caring how good you are at it.
This will be so freeing, so liberating, so wonderful. It will open you up to the gateway of new experiences, new feelings and emotions. It will allow you to do things without caring about looking good in the eyes of others, the essence of not caring in the best possible way. You’ll be free to create again, to engage in new experiences again, to blaze a new path again. And you’ll set an exceptional example for others while doing it.
