The 52-Week Challenge
I once read that there's wisdom in challenges. And I tend to agree. Hence why I decided, in September 2021, to start this 52-week challenge that I had read about: "One New Experience Every Week."
The idea behind this challenge is to have one new experience every week for 52 weeks, and make a note of what you tried and how you felt. At the end of it, you'd have had 52 new experiences.
Now, please don't start overthinking this, it isn't rocket science.
A new experience can be buying gas at a gas station you've never gone to before. Or shopping at a supermarket you've never shopped at. How was the experience? Was the attendant/cashier the most pleasant person you've ever met, or did you meet a celebrity while there? On the other hand, your new experience could be to elope with the guy you just met, from France. How'd you feel about that new experience? Excited, maybe; or are you feeling a tad bit on the crazy side? Anyway, you get the point. Try one new thing every week.
To be honest, you might not even have to figure out what to try, it may just fall into your lap, literally and figuratively...like a lizard, for the 1st time. Haha. I'm sure that would be quite an experience. Don't you think? Hmmm.
Life is about moments. Don't wait for them, create them.
So, why not start your challenge now? Not everything has to be started on January 1st. Start whenever. Just know that you'll be doing it for 52-weeks - no cheating, no skipping. And, by the way, you can have more than one new experience in a week. The more, the merrier.
Can you imagine when you've completed the 52-weeks and you grab a glass of your favorite drink, sit back, and relive all 52 experiences? WOW! Wouldn't that be awesome? You'll be reflecting on all the great experiences you've had and, well, the ones that sucked too. Yup, I've had a few of those "suck moments" since I started my challenge. Experiences I'm not interested in reliving. While there have been others that have ruffled my feathers and made me gasp in amazement and ohhhh, there have been those that have totally discombobulated me. Can't wait to share some of those with you, 33 weeks from now (hope my calculation is correct). Notice I said some...not every experience is shareable; those my friends are for my amusement.
But to be fair, and to help you out a bit, I'll share 3 of my experiences with you.
I made my 1st risotto, with a twist of course cause I never stick to a recipe. It was surprisingly good. Mind you, I don't know if I can make it again, I never wrote down my "twists," or saved the recipe. But hey, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing using stuff I had handy.
Had my 1st Caribe cider drink. I found it light and refreshing to the palate. Only 4.5% alcohol (way less than white rum) and is naturally gluten-free.
Went to Conu'co market for the 1st time. I will go back. Without my purse. This was my very 1st outing since covid started. I was super excited to be out and about and then anxiety kicked in and all I wanted to do was crawl back into my safe space (home). Nevertheless, I was happy I went, I got to see 2 people I hadn't seen in over 20 years.
So my dear friends, can you imagine the fun I'll have at the end of this, looking back and reliving the feeling each one brought? I don't know about you, but I certainly can't wait. As Dinesh Mohan Rao said, "Creating memories is the best gift you can ever give to your life." Start today, give this challenge a try, there's so much you're gonna enjoy and learn; especially when that new experience is never something you planned.
What other challenges do I participate in?
Reading challenge - started in 2020 and I'm loving it. Each year I up the anty. 2020 was 40 books. 2021 I went for 50 and scored 72. This year I've decided to "go big" - I'm going for 80 - wish me luck. Get a Scribd account.
40-Less Items Challenge - last year I started a challenge to declutter my space during lent and challenged my readers to do the same. Every day for 40 days we'd get rid of one item from our home. In the end, I felt a lot lighter and happier knowing that someone would benefit from the items I donated. Join me later this year when I do this challenge again. Read more about it here.
There are many challenges out there that you can try, with varied time frames such as 7/14/30-days, etc. Or you can make up one for yourself. Here are a few examples:
Learn a new language. It forces the brain to think differently.
Go Bungee jumping. Why not? This is usually a 1-day challenge. But it might take you 7; 6 days to gather the nerves and 1 day to do the actual jump. A good way to get over a fear, but I will leave this one for now.
Run a 5k. Train a few weeks or months, then do it.
Take a cooking class. Challenge yourself to learn a new skill, like baking.
Self-care challenge. Create a self-care challenge for yourself. This may include doing meditation for 10 minutes a day, going to bed 10 minutes earlier, reading for 20 minutes a day, going to the beach once a month, etc.
Taking part in a challenge is a great way to try something new, push yourself, test your mettle, broaden your horizon, meet new people, get rid of fears, and who knows, you might even find your passion(s) in the process.
So, go forth and conquer my fellow "challengers." Let me know in the comments which challenge you'll be doing. And, for the 52-week challenge, I can't wait to hear some of your new experiences. As Cicely Tyson said, "challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew." Yup, I can attest to that!
And, guess what? I've thrown in a little something for you - your own 52-week challenge downloadable workbook. This way you can record your progress - 1 less excuse for you not to try this challenge. Download and get jiggy with it. Thank me later!
Thanks for reading.
Blessings, Love & Light
Deon Cecile
My wish is that when you come here, you never leave here empty.
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