One New Thing: 52 New Things in 2020
I really like grand adventures, posts or challenges that people can follow along with and/or participate in. You know- those things that people say: I’m going to do one drawing every day for the next 365 days.
I like these types of things even more when I’m challenging MYSELF to do something. (See my blog post here about shopping only second hand for an entire year).
During a recent Biz Summit with my friend Carly (yes, we take biz meetings over coffee and vegan (for me anyway) muffins seriously), we were brainstorming ways for me to show up as more ME on Instagram / social media.
As you may know or have guessed, 2019 was a difficult year for me. I went through a divorce and through therapy realized a lot about standing up for myself, finding my voice, and about having - and sharing - an opinion - but mostly about how perhaps this part of me had been covered up for a long time.
You may be asking how the heck this plays into challenge. Long story short Carly said: “Your personality and self doesn’t come through on social.” She was right. I was playing it really safe - and honestly - super bland.
I really admire SaraJane Case of Coffee and Enegaram. Over on her personal IG, she does a weekly series called #DayofSmallJoys. On it, she and her entire community shares little things that bring them joy. I wanted to start something similar on my own page - to create community engagement and to share an experience and as a chance to be more open and real about life.
In light of recently being separated, Carly had the idea to do NEW things - new things that are by myself, or just new experiences in general. And in fact, do 52 of them - one for each week of the year. Thus, One New Thing was born.
Each week I’ll be doing ONE NEW THING that I’ve never done before. I’ll share the real time experience on insta stories and will have a weekly blog recap with more details + photos.
The original thought of doing this was completely overwhelming. One new thing? Every week? That seems like a LOT and it really overwhelmed me. It didn’t help that anytime I told someone this idea they would say: “That’s a lot of things.”
So as any type A would do, I made a list of ideas (that I’ll continue to add to), researched what might be fun, polled my IG friends, made a draft month by month schedule, and a spreadsheet to track costs. Suddenly, it seemed way less not doable and more fun.
And I’m inviting you to join me! Whether that is YOU doing one new thing a week (or month!) or simply engaging in ONE of the new things I’ll be undertaking, I hope this inspires you, reconnects you, or simply just lets you have fun. I also plan to do a lot of these with friends - so if you see something on this list that we can do together - let me know.
As for my first one new thing, here’s a hint: it involves coffee. ;)
Here is my running list of ideas. Feel free to borrow some!
Coffee at a new spot
Movie by self
Ballet
Symphony
Ball / Gala (Fur Ball?)
Salsa lessons
Karaoke (never done!)
Natal chart reading
Canal boat tour
Korean spa
Train ride (a REAL train)
Richmond Kickers game (soccer)
Reiki
Hot air balloon
Skydiving
Picnic in Observation Deck
Bee-keeping lessons
Ride horses (w/Meg?)
Make a pottery mug (Hand/Thrown?)
Eat at Kybecca (Rebecca’s spot!)
Art lessons
Brew a beer (with Veil?)
Figure drawing
Japanese knot stitching workshop (Studio 23)
Holocaust Musuem
Linoleum block workshop
2nd Friday classes at Visual Arts Center
Cooking class
Volunteer at SPCA or Richmond Animal Control
Make a garden (ask Daniel)
Cocktail class
Silent Reading Party (with Sarah Choi)
Write a will
Meditation / walking labyrinth
Day of silence
Watch The Third Man (classic film noir)
Apple picking
Hot stone massage
Guasha facial massage
Skinny dip
Opera
Treehouse overnight stay (Trailside Treehouse in RVA)
Get fortune told
House Story tour
River City Food Tour (with Brian!)
Go to a metal show (with Christina?)
Reptile exhibit
Do a Tough Mudder
French Food Fest
Learn to wood work - make a cutting board
Go to Chincoteague for the pony swim
Lebanese Food Fest
Make my own chocolate - (Not your sweetie collab with Carly)
Dogtown Dance studio - classes
Cook a new vegetable
Camping by self (thanks Annie!)
Go to Mexico City
Eat fresh mulberries
Rock climb in Yosemite (eeeek Mary!)
Sing at a nursing home (I’ve done, but great idea!)
Ride Cap Trail to Upper Shirely (or whole thing!) - (With Bethany??)
Switch sides of bed you sleep on (Thanks Kari!)
Sign up for wheel throwing class (Vis Arts with Christine)
Acupuncture (done, but good idea from Liana)
Infrared sauna (done)