Spring is coming quickly, which means that things will be blooming and blossoming. It also means that the weather will be warming up and you can finally thaw from the winter’s cold. Spring signifies that new life is starting and gives us a reason to celebrate, like maybe trying something new or finding a new hobby.
Trying new things can be hard, but when the weather is nice, it seems that life sometimes just feels easier. Springtime means that the world around us is going to change, and so can you. If you are scared to try something new or don’t know where to start, here are some tips:
- Start with something you are familiar with. Joining a club can be daunting, but if it something that you have done before or are interested in, the process can feel so much easier. For example, if you like to sing but are afraid of singing alone. There are clubs and acapella groups that you could join. It may be scary to meet a whole new group of people, but you could also make some new friends along the way.
- Take a friend with you. Bringing someone you know well can help you feel comfortable around people or ideas that are new to you. Finding someone you already know who is interested in the same things like knitting or underwater basket weaving should be easy. If you are nervous about trying something new, chances are there is someone feeling the way, maybe even the friend you brought with you.
- Know your own limits. If spending a couple hours with new people doing something you have never done before is scary or is causing you anxiety, then start with only an hour or two. No one else can know what is going on in your head or how you feel unless you tell them, but in order to do that, you have to decide what you are comfortable with and where the lines are drawn.
- Prepare ahead of time. If your new thing this year is to water ski, maybe look up water skiing and learn the terminology and hand signals before you try your hand at it. The same can be said for joining a club at school. You should know what clubs are out there and what you may be interested in joining. See if there is a website at your school with a list of all the clubs that exist and find out whatever information you can before joining.
- Recognize that you probably won’t be a master after only a couple of times. Becoming an expert at something takes time, and hard work. If you really want to become great at water color paintings, you are not going to simply wake up one day and be the best in the world. You will need to practice and make a bunch of paintings to learn some of the tricks of the trade as well as what you like most and how you like to paint. With that being said, don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice on something new that you are trying. If you never ask, you will never learn.
