Do you like to try new things? Or are you like me and decide that you don’t like something (before giving it a fair chance)? Here is some journal prompts to help you explore your experiences with trying new things.
I am all about connecting ideas. Listing commonalities between multiple items, finding differences, or general list making all fall into my ‘enjoy’ category. Have you ever tried something new you swore you would never try (and liked it)?
{Timidly raises hand} <– That’s me.
What event, person, or circumstance changed your mind?
Table of contents
- Why Don’t We Like To Try New Things?
- A Shortlist of the Things I Vowed I’d Never Try
- Examples of the ‘New’ Things I Tried:
- Watercoloring – What’s Not to Like?Another Example of Trying New Things (and Liking Them):
- Gain New Experiences & Add New Stories to Your Life When You Try New Things
- Journal Prompts:
- More Inspiration
Why Don’t We Like To Try New Things?
It’s incredible how hard-headed I can be about doing or trying new things, but once I do, I like them (and sometimes a lot).
Two reasons why I won’t try new things:
- I’m stuck in my old habits.
- I’m rebellious or contrary to someone who wants me to try the new thing.
Do you have a list of things you vowed you’d never try?
A Shortlist of the Things I Vowed I’d Never Try
Here’s a shortlist of the things I vowed I’d never try (I’m sure there’s more out there). Okay, ‘vow’ is a strong word, but there were reasons behind each of them (or so I tell myself). But now that I did try these ‘new’ things I think differently.
- Sour cream
- Brussell Sprouts
- Chromebook
- Watercolor painting
- Making my bed habitually (it couldn’t make that much difference, could it?)
- Mangos (how do you get into those things?!)
- Morning Routine
- Apple Products
- Brain Dumps
Examples of the ‘New’ Things I Tried:
As a kid, I was a VERY picky eater. I would only eat cantaloupe when I was three. (Sidenote: As the mother of a very picky eater, I have no idea of how my parents were so patient with me.) Once I left for college, I tried many new foods and loved them.
All of these examples seem very small, but they’ve made a huge impact on my life. If only I would have tried these ‘new things’ earlier. What would be different?
The Tale of Sour Cream:
At an overnight girl’s camp when I was 12 or 13, we had fire-baked potatoes. Those potatoes smelled so good. Along with the baked potatoes were many toppings and one of the toppings was sour cream. Dolloping that creamy goodness onto my steaming potato and piling high other delicious toppings, I dug into my meal without thinking twice.
I don’t know if it was that I was not around my parents and didn’t feel the need to be so rebellious or if I was famished from a day of hiking in the heat and was slightly delirious, not knowing what I was stuffing into my mouth. Still, I tried sour cream (without realizing what it was), and surprisingly, it was good!
Shocked by my change of opinion, I begged the leaders not to tell my parents that I tried sour cream, which, I’m sure they thought was an odd request. They probably told my parents simply because it was strange for me to make a big deal about trying sour cream.
What in life have you finally tried after years of avoiding it? What was the outcome?
Watercoloring – What’s Not to Like?Another Example of Trying New Things (and Liking Them):
Watercoloring is another example of things I wouldn’t try (but should have) earlier. For the longest time, I thought the color range for watercolor ranged from light pink to pastel blue and seafoam green. Now, there’s nothing wrong with pastel colors, but I am drawn to bright colors.
Mistakenly, I thought there were no bright colors in watercolor. I thought shadows and color depth came from acrylics or other opaque mediums. Admittedly, I don’t know where this idea originated! Perhaps, someone, I knew painted watercolors using only pastel tones.
Oh, how wrong I was! If only I would have tried this ‘new’ thing earlier!
On a whim, I tried watercoloring about two years ago. I hate to say it, but I think I missed out on a lifetime of using this fantastic medium. Despite my earlier assessment, it’s my favorite way to paint, now. I even figured out how to ‘paint with markers’ like watercolor in my planners. I now have to keep myself from buying new watercolors all the time.
Gain New Experiences & Add New Stories to Your Life When You Try New Things
As you can tell, there’s a story behind each ‘new things I won’t try but did anyway’. Though that list for me is not comprehensive by any means, as a keeper of lists, I’ll add it to my journal and then add a short story of the experience that changed my mind.
What would you call this list of things you thought you’d never try, but then did?
Journal Prompts:
Here are a list of journal prompts related to trying new things:
- What things have you tried (even though you said you wouldn’t)? And what changed your mind?
- What new things did you like, and what new things did you try and dislike?
- Why do you think you won’t try new things?
- What are you gaining/losing by not trying this new thing?
- Who influenced you to finally try the new thing? Was it a group of friends, or were you peer pressured into doing it? Or were you entirely alone when you tried it?
- Why was being alone (or with others) the catalyst to get you to try the new thing?
- What would be different if you would have tried it sooner?
More Inspiration
No Matter Which Notebook I use – You’ll Always Find These Supplies Close at Hand
![This month’s creative challenge is all about flower names! Use these everyday floral names to expand your creativity throughout this month. Check out the challenge list below, and if you’re having trouble with creative ideas, keep reading. I have lots of ideas to share. Handlettering these words is fun if that’s what you always do. […] The post Creative Challenge: Flower Names appeared first on Chocolate Musings.](https://i0.wp.com/i.pinimg.com/564x/12/65/81/1265815e2ef10a0fd4505524fb3f0eeb.jpg?ssl=1)
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