A New Year to Learn Something New
A few years ago, I said yes to something I never thought I would take interest in, Qigong. If you don’t know what it is, is part of traditional Chinese medicine that involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind and spirt. I reluctantly signed up for a class online knowing that I wouldn’t get much out of it because I am terrible at meditation. I was terrible at Qigong too, but I kept going to class and kept learning.
Trying something new opened my eyes to the wonders of embracing new things, so much that I made the commitment to always look for opportunities to start something new. Here are a few reasons why you might want to start something new in the new year.
New experiences are good for the brain. When you learn something new you are reshaping and rejuvenating the brain. New things make you more confident. When you learn something new, you realize that you can do it and your confidence grows. Starting something new allows you to become more curious. And the more you exercise your curiosity muscle the stronger it gets. New experiences allow you to become more creative. Creativity doesn’t thrive doing the same things over and over again, so learning something new will spark that creativity. Learning something new will allow your focus to improve because you will be stimulated by practicing the new skill. Finally, allowing yourself to sign up for something new will expand your social circle of friends by allowing you to meet other like-minded people.
If you have trouble with that first step of signing up, try making it a personal goal. You could start by trying something new once or twice a year. You can also take time to recognize what might be holding you back from trying something. Ask yourself if it is because you are afraid you will look foolish or if you think you will have more time another year? If you understand what is holding you back you, you might better understand how to move forward. Failing is a part of starting something new, but the key is to remember that it is a normal part of learning. Often it takes time to learn something new and developing a growth mindset is a healthy way to deal with failure.
If you wait for the right time to start something new, you might be missing out on great opportunities. We are always adding new classes to our calendar. In January, we are teaming up with Lori Young to learn about Enneagram and Creativity. If you want to dig a little deeper into your personality and how it relates to your creativity, join us January 28th. If you want to check what our monthly meetings are all about, you can be a guest and see what a creative community is all about. And if you are looking to complete something new or just get it done, check out our upcoming Artists Get It DONE mastermind starting May 1 where you will identify your goals and accomplish them. We hope the new year brings you curiosity, creativity and joy and of course, learning new things!