Try something new this November, make it a Newvember.
Make this the time when you finally do something you’ve wanted to do but never got around to or felt you couldn’t justify. Don’t worry about making it something deeply meaningful or an extreme adventure, just make it something new. Have this be the time you actually make time for the things you want to do.
Newvember should be all about doing something new, making something new, making something feel new, or seeing things in a new way.
Keep a list
Keep a list of new things you’ve wanted to try or maybe things you want to eventually get around to doing. Keep it someplace you can easily find such as a note on your phone or a notebook you keep out on your desk. Whenever an idea comes to you, add it to the list. Adding it doesn’t mean you are committing to doing it, so don’t worry too much about what you put down or even if it is a fully formed thought.
You list will serve as a reminder throughout the year of things that interest you. Maybe you drove past a place that gave glassblowing lessons and that sounded intriguing, write it down. Maybe you always wanted to visit that café near your house, write it down. Maybe you never really like the color of the walls in your bathroom, write it down.
So often we have ideas about things we want to do but we don’t keep track of them and therefore never get around to them. By keeping a list you have something to look to when you want to try something new. Next time you find yourself with a free afternoon, instead of sitting around trying to come up with something to do, bring out your list and see what strikes your fancy.
Don’t try to do too much
The idea of a whole month devoted to new things sounds like a great idea. It can be tempting to try and do a new thing each day or each week, but trying to fit too much into a month can mean you lose the joy in doing each thing. Instead of focusing on how many items on your list you want to do, figure out which ones fit into your life. Enjoy the time you spend doing new things, don’t make it a burden.
If you had planned on visiting a new park but the weather turned out to be bad, don’t try and force something new if you won’t enjoy it. Maybe there’s something else on your list that will fit better, such as starting a new book or puzzle. If nothing else, use it as a sign from the universe to slow down and enjoy where you are right now.
As much as your strive to do new things, also strive to be flexible. Don’t be so tied to trying a specific new thing or doing it in such a rigid way that you don’t actually enjoy it. The goal isn’t to try and pack in as much as possible, the goal is to expand your horizons and get around to those things you have always wanted to do.
New doesn’t mean big
When you think about what new things you want to do, don’t just focus on the big things such as traveling to another country or adding a room to your house. Think also about the smaller things that can also have an impact on your life such as learning a new cooking style or trying out a new hobby.
Don’t get overwhelmed feeling you have to go far or do something big, look first to what you can do within your own house, yard, or neighborhood. You don’t have to go far to find something new. There are endless possibilities of new ways to arrange a room, there may be streets in your neighborhood you’ve never been down, and you may not even realize what plants are growing in your backyard. Whether it’s going someplace new or learning something new about the world around you, there is a lot to be experienced close to home.
Have fun with it
Above all else, have fun trying new things. This isn’t a competition and there doesn’t need to be a time limit, you make the rules. Newvember has a nice ring to it, but it doesn’t matter what time of year you decide to try something new.
Along with having fun, make sure it’s something you are doing because you want to and not because it will look good on social media. Be true to yourself the the things you like. If you choose to share with others the new things you do, that’s great, if you choose to keep it to yourself, that’s also great. This is your journey and it’s important for you to live in on your terms.
Ideas of what to do
- Visit a new location in your town
- Rearrange a room in your house
- Follow a YouTube tutorial for a new hobby such as drawing or ukulele
- Start a new book
- Take an online course in a subject you’ve always been interested in
- Find a local organization to donate to or volunteer at
- Watch a new documentary
- Try styling your hair a new way
- Learn a card trick
- Learn about your town’s history
- Learn how to repair something around your house
- Reread a book with new eyes
- Find a new scent
- Make art for your house
- Find a new way to organize your clothes or junk drawer
- Drive a different way to work
- Learn how to unclog a drain
- Figure out how to invest in a retirement fund