Earlier this evening, I finished reading Lu Ann Cahn’s lifestyle experiment book “I Dare Me: How I Rebooted And Recharged My Life By Doing Something New Every Day.” If you’re unfamiliar with Cahn, she’s an Emmy Award-winning TV journalist, mother and cancer survivor who, back in 2009, decided to try a new thing every day for a year and blog about it.
As noted in her blog’s intro:
When we are children, our lives are full of firsts: first steps, first grade, first wish, first kiss, first love. There seems to be an endless stream of “firsts”.
At some point, though, there are fewer “firsts”. We forget what it’s like to discover something new.
After a while we tend to lose our childlike curiosity, leaning more toward what we know and what we’re comfortable with. We order food that we know we like. We wear clothes that are the same style we’ve worn for years. We see the same people every day. Work is “Groundhog Day”. We vacation in the same place every year. We wrap ourselves in the familiar to avoid the discomfort of change. We attach ourselves to our habits, (good and bad), and our usual ways of doing things.
And then we stop growing.
“I Dare Me” is a compilation of Cahn’s many fun and daring “firsts.” Before I finished the first chapter, I knew I’d have to give it a try. And so today, I shall embark on a “first” quest. Who wants to try it with me?
My “first” goal: Create a list of “firsts” to try. So far, I’m up to about 100 items. Here’s a small sampling:
* Stand up for a cause I believe in (see this entry).
* Publicly reveal my Oscar picks.
* Take a class in astrobiology.
* Walk 15,000 steps in a single day.
* Pay for a stranger’s coffee.
* Get a massage.
* Get a mammogram.
* Go letterboxing.
* Take piano lessons.
* Buy a house.
Have any suggestions for interesting “firsts”? Feel free to share ’em in comments.
5 Comments
Courtney Mroch
I dunno about #1…you already do this, don’t you? On just about a daily basis??? That’s how I think of you anyway. Especially when I read your FB page. There seems to be a lot of things you stand up for. Although, the pic you posted in the entry you referenced IS most definitely sticking up for something. But was I surprised to see it? Nope. That is exactly the sort of thing I would expect from you. You always seem to be championing some cause. At least in my mind.
Jade Walker
Aren’t you sweet?
No, the things I post on social media aren’t necessarily stories or issues I believe in. I post items that I think people should know, stories that aren’t getting much play, articles I think will inspire debate or action and features that I sense will appeal to one or more of my friends.
One of my friends even called my FB feed “bizarre.” “I don’t know what you believe in,” she said. “You post stories about Republicans who say or do something stupid. And then you post stories about Democrats who say or do something stupid. What are you, anyway?”
And I replied: “I’m anti-stupid.”
The Al Jazeera protest was very rare for me. As a journalist, I generally don’t share my opinions about the issues I cover. But that one involved people in my field who were being silenced, imprisoned and tortured. In order for journalists to get the news to the public, they need to be able to do their jobs. Imprisoning them not only takes away their rights, but denies the public access to that information as well. That is unacceptable. And that I why I joined my colleagues and took a stand.
Steven
Wait, what? You’ve never had a massage? That actually surprises me quite a bit.
What’s letterboxing?
15,000 steps is actually surprisingly easy, if you go to a new city and take a walking tour. My all time record is 23,610 steps in a single day- I was wandering around London at the time.
Jade Walker
Nope, never had a professional massage. I even bought a Groupon discount once, but never had the opportunity to use it. Soon, my friend, soon.
Letterboxing: Think of an old-fashioned version of geocaching, only instead of giving GPS coordinates to find a prize, you receive clues. Figure out the clues, discover the treasure and leave your mark in logbook to prove your prowess. Apparently, there are over 1 million letterboxes to be found.
As for the steps, you’re absolutely right. If I traveled more, or even commuted to work, I’d have a higher step count. As it is, my commute is about 5-steps to my home office. To get more, I have to hop on the treadmill. But I will reach 15,000 steps in a single day if it kills me.
Pingback: