A Year of Growth
Thinking about resolutions on New Year’s Eve, the idea that kept coming to me was newness. My life was good- I had a good job, a happy relationship and home life. But things just felt a little blah. I was in a slump. Inspired by Shonda Rhimes’, The Year of Yes, I decided to challenge myself to shake things up in the new year. The challenge I created was this: I would try one new activity a month for the whole year.
It ended up being a real whirlwind of fun. What was only one day per month gave me a new perspective and sense of adventure.
I kicked things off one weekend in January with a private ice skating lesson. Driving to the rink I started second-guessing myself. What the heck was I doing? But when I got there, my instructor for the day, Stephanie, was so kind and welcoming. She helped me find the right size skates and taught me how to lace them up. Then the real moment of truth- that first step out onto the ice. I felt a rush of nerves and anticipation. I fell, a few times, but then I started to find my balance. When I finally figured out how to glide across the ice instead of awkwardly stepping with my skates, the feeling was exhilarating. On the way home I felt nothing but joy, enjoying the adrenaline rush I had just experienced.
In February, I must have been feeling pretty confident because I took my challenge to new heights. I signed up for an aerial arts class. Yes, like what they do in the circus. The class I took focused on the silks, or those big pieces of fabric that hang down from the ceiling that aerialists climb and tangle themselves up in so gracefully. The first thing I learned about myself is that I didn’t quite have the upper body strength to cut it in the world of circus arts. But luckily the instructor showed us all a few tricks about how to wrap the silks around ourselves and create leverage with our legs. Realistically I was probably only a few inches off the ground, but I felt a sense of newfound strength and grace within myself.
After my foray into the circus arts, I decided to keep things a little more grounded in March. I signed up for a pottery class at a local art studio. The cold, wet clay was oddly soothing. My class didn’t use any fancy wheels, but instead made little bowls by rolling and pinching the clay. It was harder than I anticipated, but the focus required to get my bowl just right helped calm my mind and create a sense of internal quiet. Naturally, my bowl was misshapen and flawed, but it has become a cherished treasure to me. Pottery was an interesting lesson in the beauty of imperfection and the joy of creating something with my own two hands.
As the weather warmed in April, I signed up for a tennis lesson and ventured onto the court for the first time. My patient teacher, Juan, took his time explaining the game to me. We kept things simple, working on how to hit the ball over the net- surprisingly challenging- and the hour-long lesson flew by. I loved the focus it demanded, and I got a pretty good workout out of it.
In May, the golf course down the road was running a special to attract new members. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon and I met the golf pro at the driving range. I think he expected, or hoped, I would be a bit more experienced, but he helped me start from the beginning and was helpful. Naturally, I felt a little embarrassed and inadequate, but that made me confront the reality that everyone has to be a beginner at some point or another. While one of my more uncomfortable experiences, it did instigate some internal self-growth.
In June, my family went on vacation so I took the opportunity to carve out an afternoon for a solo adventure. I signed up for a snorkeling excursion. Something I would have never done in the past, I am so glad this challenge pushed me to move out of my comfort zone. Unlike the golf experience the month before, the rest of the group were also first-timers and the crew that took us out on the water were happy to show us the ropes. And wow! The world right below the water’s surface was incredible! I left the afternoon with a major takeaway- there is a vastness and beauty in the world that is easy to overlook, but can be discovered if you just find a new perspective.
In July, I traded fins for an apron with a cooking class. My brother had caught wind of my challenge and gifted me the class for my birthday. It was something I probably wouldn’t have chosen myself. I cook all the time, so it hardly felt new, but I am so thankful for the experience. The group class was laid back, complete with complimentary wine. Turns out I’ve been mincing garlic the wrong way for years, and I learned several other tips to improve my dishes in the future. Seeing our chef’s passion for cooking was inspiring and made me want to try more inventive dishes in the future.
During this time, pickleball was becoming trendy, so in August I decided to give it a go. Pickleball combines the fast-paced action of tennis with the strategic precision of ping pong. I quickly learned the value of teamwork and communication with my partner. More seasoned in the sport than me, Dani was kind and forgiving. In fact, we really hit it off and while I haven’t been playing pickleball, we’ve become friends off the court and have met up for drinks a few times.
In September, I found an exciting class at my craft store focusing on mosaic-making. By this point, I was becoming a pro at dealing with the uncomfortable nervousness I’d feel as I embarked on something new. I must have had some self-growth because I found myself being much more outgoing than I typically am and chatting with all the other class participants. I have to say, mosaic-making was my favorite! First, you get to break the colorful glass into small pieces, then slowly build something new out of it. There was something so metaphorically beautiful about creating something whole from fragments of the past.
My confidence had clearly grown because in October I tackled a lifelong bucket list dream- learning to skateboard. I can’t say I successfully learned how to do much more than awkwardly balance while the board drifted for a few seconds, but it was thrilling nonetheless. With each wobbly ride, I challenged my resilience, picking myself up and trying again until I found my footing.
In November, I found a brewery offering a tour and intro to brewing class. We learned the basics of malts and hops and I discovered a new appreciation of the flavors and depth of the perfect brew.
Over the holidays, we travel to the mountains, and while I normally spend most of the time snuggled up by the fire with a good book, I decided to hit the slopes this December. I signed up for a lesson, rented my gear, and got prepared to stumble and fall. Maybe it was my skateboarding practice or just the awesome help of my teacher, Josie, but I caught on faster than I had anticipated. I think over the year I’d learned how to approach new challenges with a more confident and relaxed mentality that allowed more learning and growth. It was exhilarating once I could board down a small mountain. (Okay, fine, it was more of a hill.) It was a fitting end to a year filled with adventure and self-discovery, reminding me that the greatest joys often lie on the other side of discomfort and hesitation.
As I look back on the year, I am amazed at the changes within me because of my challenge. Each new activity challenged me to grow and brought me closer to a deeper understanding and appreciation of myself. I learned how to start something new and put my ego aside, trusting that I can learn new things. And now my life feels anything but blah- I know I can find fun in all sorts of places and there are new, exciting experiences just around the corner.
