Boring to Bad-ass: 10 Ways to Be More Adventurous

Coming from an accounting background, I’ve met my fair share of people with the stereotypical accountant traits. They like routines, prefer low-risk situations, and get anxious if there isn’t a plan or if the plan isn’t followed.

Boring...

These tendencies aren't exclusive to accountants either. There are plenty of other people from different backgrounds that identify as this type-A sort of person. While I’m self-aware enough to know that I am also like this to a degree, as I’ve gotten older and become more comfortable trying new things, I can’t help but wonder: how do people continue to live this way?

If you are feeling guilty reading this article and thinking about all of the things you’ve let yourself miss out on because you’ve been stuck in the same habits, stop! Now is the beginning of your new lifestyle full of adventure, empowerment, and curiosity. Have you always wondered what performing improv was like? Go try it! Is there a new restaurant you’ve been dying to try but no one will go with you? Take yourself on a date! Is there bold shirt sitting in your closet with the tags still on that might be just a little too bright? Wear that sh*t!

Some of the best experiences come from times of uncertainty. All it takes to get there is a little faith in yourself and a reminder that it’s just life. Taking it all too seriously is only going to leave you stressed out and missing some amazing experiences. If the fear of failure seems to be getting in your way, take some time to read our two part series addressing the sources of these fears and how you can alleviate them: "The Screwed Up Way We Handle Our Fear of Screwing Up Part 1: What Are You Scared Of?" and "The Screwed Up Way We Handle Our Fear of Screwing Up Part 2: Breaking Free From Failure".

I realize that this all sounds great and is much easier typed than done. First off, no one is perfect in this life of taking risks. It takes persistence and periodic self-evaluation. Secondly, this isn’t something that happens at the snap of your fingers. Taking baby steps to living a bolder life is okay, and is actually the way you should go about it.

With all of that being said, for those of you that are thinking, “That’s totally me and I’m ready for a change, but I have no idea where to start!” As always, ALLC has your back. As with any change in life, everyone has to start somewhere. Instead of fixating on the end goal or everything you aren’t doing, focus your energy on the little things you can do TODAY. There are a number of basic steps you can take and tweaks you can make immediately that will help this improvement feel manageable.

10 Ways to Add More Excitement to Your Life

1. Take a different way home from work once a week.

Have you ever gotten home from work, knowing 100% that you drove there, but feeling like you blacked out between getting in your car and arriving home? Yeah, me too. That is a telltale sign you’ve been doing the same thing for too long. End the monotony, and increased chances of a traffic accident, by taking a new route. This isn’t exclusive to your work commute either. Going to the gym, dropping your kids off at school and any other regular trips you take are perfect opportunities to switch things up. It will likely only take you a few more minutes than normal but will be a welcome shock to your system. - what if you talked about discovering new restaurants or parks this way too?

2. Pick a new event to try once a month.

At least once a month, do some light research and find an event you wouldn’t normally attend: belly dancing, archery, French club, etc.. Sites like Meetup.com offer great groups with regular events and you can also check out your local community’s classifieds. This may be a little more difficult if you live in a smaller community, but there are likely other larger cities nearby where you can make this work. Most of the time, these types activities are free to attend and require little to no commitment - perfect for those who are timid or prone to copping out. No excuses now!

3. Say “yes” more.

Make a conscious effort to say “yes” when people ask you to join, or when you’re offered something. You don’t need to take it to a cult-level, like in Yes, Man, but at least consider your answer and challenge yourself to say “yes” more times than “no.” Even just thinking about how many times you reject new activities, ideas or people can be an eye-opening exercise in changing your behavior.

4. Make a list of things you want to try.

Does doing things spur of the moment or not being able to mentally prepare for an activity cause you go into full-on stress-monster mode? While trying new things is supposed to be uncomfortable and challenging, it should not be a detriment to your mental state or health. One great way you can lessen the shock of breaking your routine is to make a list and, eventually, a schedule. When you adjust this lifestyle shift process to align with your capacity for change and you put your type-A personality to use, it makes for an enhanced experience with improved results. Eliminating some of the unpredictability and giving yourself time to anticipate your next adventure allows your mind to focus more on the actual journey. Plus, this is a great way to keep track of your progress and reflect on all of the cool new things you will have done.

5. Pick a food you’ve never tried each time you grocery shop.​

This is a super simple way to mix things up without much risk. If you’re eating chicken, broccoli, and rice for every single meal, try adding that weird-looking eggplant to the mix. Maybe you won’t like it or maybe it will become your new favorite side dish. Either way, you’re getting out of your comfort zone, challenging your cooking skills, and switching up the fiber in your diet.

6. Take on the “10% Discount Challenge”.

If you haven’t heard of this one, the “10% Discount Challenge” is fairly simple. Walk into a coffee shop, order your drink, and ask the cashier if you can have a 10% discount. The worst thing that could possibly happen is that they shoot you down and you still get a coffee you would have paid for anyways. On the upside, if you’re successful, you will obviously pay less. In either case, you come out a winner because you are pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and rationalizing your fear of rejection. You can take this even further and ask for ridiculous things in all areas of your life, like Jia Jiang, the TEDx presenter of “What I learned from 100 days of rejection.” While it may be intimidating at first, over time you will gain more confidence in trying things with an unknown outcome.

7. Talk to at least one stranger each day.

I know stranger danger has been beaten into our brains from childhood, but I am giving you permission to let your guard down a little bit here. Many times, a monotonous life is validated by your unchanging circle of friends and coworkers. How do you break out of that circle? Simple - interact with other people! It doesn’t have to be a long conversation or a date. It can literally be a 1-minute exchange while you’re waiting for the next train. This is more about getting yourself out of a routine and giving yourself the confidence to continue down this path to a more diverse social circle.

8. Read a new book each month.

Maybe talking to strangers is a bit of a leap for you, but you still want to break your routine and take risks. What better way for an introvert to expand his horizons than to read books out of his comfort zone? If you’re stuck in a particular genre or with one author, make those books off limits. See what else is on the shelf - the more variety, the better! This is also a conducive way to change up your conversations with people, either in asking for recommendations or in discussing the newest book you’ve read. Fifty Shades of Gray may sound like it’s not your cup of tea (or room of chains), but you won’t know until you appropriately acquaint yourself with Christian, himself.

9. Get to working on your fitness.

Not only is fitness an important part of health, it’s also a significant contributor to happiness. Don’t get me wrong, you should not depend on working out for life satisfaction, but it definitely helps! Plus, making time for a little endorphin high will also change your environment and allow for more variety. Perhaps you are a dance aficionado and want to take up Zumba, or maybe you have wanted to try your hand at rock climbing. No matter what the activity is, make it part of your schedule (even for 2 days a week) and don’t forget to mix it up.

​10. Do less.

This one sounds crazy, right? Do more… by doing less? Yes, and hear me out. How many times do you make the excuse that you’re schedule is just too crazy to attend an event, or even to join someone for lunch? It’s time to call BS. There is no way anyone has that many things to do, or that many important things to do, that they are never available. Before you plan your day or week, stop and reflect on what truly needs to get down and block out time for relaxing, fun and personal activities. Adding a cushion in your schedule allows for more freedom in what you choose to do and affords you a less stressful life.

This list is just the beginning. While it’s a great place to start, don’t end your journey here. Allow these ideas to inspire other ideas of ways for you to get out there, try new things and live a life full of adventure. It may take some time for you to adapt to a life of variety, but, I promise, once you experience its freedom and liberation, you won’t want to go back.

Now go and be the bad ass you were meant to be! Original post from ALittleLessClueless.com.

#life #excitement #variety #fullfillment