ANDRE BEGIN

I’ve recently noticed a change in myself. As someone who thrives on routine, structure and the more predictable side of life, I’ve been daring myself to try new things. Surprisingly, my curiosity and my sense of adventure seem to have responded positively.

To some, these “dares” might not be a huge stretch, but to me they are. We’re not talking about activities that could get my adrenaline pumping to a dangerous level for someone my age. These incremental changes involve getting out of my comfort zone to try something new or stretch my mind in a different direction. To my surprise, these baby steps have led to serendipitous moments (and sometimes not the ones I was aiming for) that added variety, quality, or joy (or all three!) to my day-to-day life.

Why now?

The answer is quite easy to nail down. If you roll the clock back a few years, we were all dealing with a pandemic, something that current generations had never seen before. That was all new and a little scary sometimes.

Just before that, my partner and I sold our respective homes and moved in together in a country property. For a city boy like me, the move to the country presented quite a learning curve.

One year after that, I retired from my career. Even though it was a positive change after a three-decade career I loved, I still had to adjust.

I think it stands to reason that with all that going on, I really didn’t need to look for change. I was living it every day.

However, more recently, even though life presented new situations that required time and energy to manage, they weren’t occurring as quickly or as frequently as before. A new normal and a sense of routine had set in. I felt calm, comfortable, relaxed, and could see my appetite for change starting to redevelop.

It wouldn’t be in my nature to go from a comfortable place to stirring up the pot for maximum effect. Drama and unpredictability are not my strong suits. That said, I started small.

One day, I was mildly miffed when I encountered an unexpected stretch of road construction. At my destination, I looked for alternate routes to get home and found a highway that I’ve often heard about but never travelled. On the way back, I took the highway and discovered a most pleasant route, offering picturesque sights and cool shops along the way. The detour only added a couple of minutes to my travel time, but it added a new way in and out of the city, should I ever need it again.

In one of the community pages I follow on Facebook, I noticed a mention of a gluten-free bakery at a local farmer’s market the following Sunday. I decided to make a morning out of it, charting an itinerary that weaved in other errands, leading up to the new destination. Once there, I discovered a most charming farmer’s market with many interesting stands to peruse, as well as a gluten-free baker offering many yummy treats. Two discoveries in one!

Similarly, I am more actively on the lookout for restaurants offering gluten-free items and sometimes choosing items I wouldn’t normally try. For example, I now have a favourite place that makes an amazing plate of liver and onions, a dish I have yet to master.

A few weeks ago, I posted an article about how I have been pushing myself out of my comfort zone and making small talk with strangers when the opportunity presented itself. That took a lot of guts, but I am very pleased with the way I am getting the hang of it again.

And of course, YouTube videos are a treasure trove of clips offering learning opportunities galore. I’ve enjoyed quite a few!

The truth is that I find it more difficult to pick up a new skill or enjoy a discovery when my plate is full. My most recent discoveries were made on my terms, my timeline, and when headspace and energy were at their peak to accept change.

That being the case, after a period where change was abundant, things have settled to the point that the door has reopened to trying new things. After many great experiments and experiences, I look forward to continuing down this road where my curiosity is getting fed regularly and responds favourably by asking for more.

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Sincere thanks for reading!
Have a great day,
André