risk taking

Nov

2021

Go, Go After Something New

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Do you want to change something in your self or in your life? Are you just feeling bored or lacking excitement in your life? Then why not try to do something new? Take the risk and go after something new.

A New Perspective

Try a new perspective or point-of-view. Do you have a sibling that keeps annoying you or a co-worker who is too noisy? Chances are, you always have a negative reaction when you encounter them or you try to avoid them. Next time, try truly listening to them and engaging them in conversation. You might find that this is actually a pleasant experience and you don’t have to avoid the situation anymore. Or you might learn a lesson in patience and how not to be a toxic person. You might change your mindset and even gain a deeper understanding of why you don’t like this particular situation or what bothers you about the person. Talking to people of a different generation than you is also a good way to understand and learn from a different perspective. Try interviewing your grand parents about their experiences.

A New Look

Tired of your usual look? Why not try out a new style? All you need is in your closet. Mix and match clothes that you’ve never tried before. Imagine yourself a super model showing off the designer’s new fashion collection. Try to look more confident while showing off your new style. Wear a smile and walk as confidently as you can. Practice in the mirror before you go out the door. This should be a fun experiment. Expect to get a lot of questioning looks and even criticism but try not to mind or just smile at them. They might say you’re crazy but you might also learn how to not give a care about other people’s opinions of you. One benefit of this is you get to wear what you really want or what you usually don’t. You might end up loving your new style or find the fun in trying out a different look each time. Just go, go after something new.

A New Feeling

If you’ve been feeling bored or sad lately, then try changing that feeling. You can do it in the comfort of your own room. Play dance music and sing to it or dance to it and see how it changes your mood. You can also try drawing, sketching, painting or writing. Put on inspirational music to set the atmosphere to start your work. Then just do it without minding about the results. You might end up feeling better or feeling worse but at least you’ve practiced how to change your mood. Or you might end up with a hobby that you want to pursue or even get to unleash your genius. The best way to do this is in your safe space. It could be your room or a small nook in your living room. If you feel that your space has become uninteresting then try rearranging your furniture to create your safe space or freshen up your work space or bedroom.

A New Experience

Give your self a chance to satisfy your curiosity. Have you always wanted to try skateboarding, camping, going on a picnic, playing mahjong, etc.? Join a group or take a class to satisfy your thirst for knowledge and try a new experience. Think: “You only live once” so try something new at least once. Do something fun just because. If you like it, try it again. If you don’t like it; at least you’ve tried it. At least you’ve confirmed what you like and don’t like. You won’t be left with “what ifs”. A new experience allows you to get to know your self better and understand other people better too. A road trip is definitely an experience you should try. Traveling to new destinations will give you a new appreciation of the beauty around you. You will surely appreciate the sight of a clear sky at night when you are away from the city lights. Go, go after something new and enjoy the experience.

Start Small

To change something, it is good to start with the small details and consistently practice. The first thing you need to do is to decide that you want to change and commit to that decision. Then, take small steps towards that change and try to practice it consistently until it becomes a habit. You will just wake up one day and find that you have changed yourself; that you have found the “real you”. You will feel grateful for deciding to just go, go after something new.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Jared Sluyter on Unsplash.

Nov

2021

You Only Live Once So Make It Count

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Do you often use the phrase “You only live once!” or YOLO? The phrase “You only live once!” is often used in association with trying or doing something risky. In the positive sense, it means to enjoy the present moment and to live life to the fullest. On the other hand, some people use the same phrase to mean embracing risky behavior or even dangerous behavior.

YOLO is a popular expression among the younger generation and it is quite overused and misused. It has applied to petty decisions instead of to major, life-changing decisions. Some people use the phrase mostly as an expression of their willingness to try out something new and fun. What does this phrase mean for you?

YOLO, you only live once
The battle cry of a generation
This life is a precious gift
So don’t get too crazy
It’s not worth the risk
Yeah
Lonely Island feat. Adam Levine and Kendrick Lamarr – YOLO

The phrase is close in meaning to “carpe diem”, a Latin phrase meaning “seize the day.” It means to grab opportunities when they come because it may not come again. It also implies that opportunities are fleeting and that life is ever changing; so you should take whatever opportunities are presented to you each day. In this context, it implies that one should have the courage to try something out, to take some risks, because it is there for you to take. However, this does not mean that you should take risks just because the chance presented itself. You should never take risks without considering the consequences.

Is it worth the risk?

A prerequisite of taking chances or risks; is to first validate that they are opportunities worth grabbing or risks worth taking. This will of course depend on what your mindset and outlook in life is. Needless to say, you should grab only the opportunities and take the risks that could be beneficial to you at this time or at some point in time. This may seem like a selfish approach, but it is also a safer method.

Some of the risks you take may be because you want to try something new; or because you want to overcome your fear. On a serious note; you might choose to take a risk in order to change your current circumstances. Each person has their own decision-making process; their own considerations to weigh. However, everyone who decides to take a risk must has the courage to take the challenge.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.
Mae West

Do you have the courage?

Rewards are not always guaranteed when you take risks. Thus, those who take risks should be brave enough to suffer the consequences of failure and learn the lesson. All of us are willing to take risks not just for ourselves but for our loved ones too. Some risks become fun memories or inspiring stories when we look back at them, even if we ended up failing. While others put their everything on the line and end up enjoying the rewards of their risks. Whatever type of risk you take; you should have the courage to see it through to the end, whether you end up failing or victorious.

Do you understand the risk?

We often think: you only live once so take the chance and luck may smile at you. Those who get rewarded for taking risks are not always the lucky ones. Most of them worked hard in different areas of their lives. They continued to learn and practice what they needed to and they maintained good relationships with their colleagues. They made a habit of honing their skills and kept kept believing in themselves and their goals. As a result, they were well-informed and ready to make the best choice when it came to making the risky decision. If it’s clear to you what you can lose and what you can gain; then you know whether to take the risk or not.

Feature Image: Original Photo by nine koepfer on Unsplash.

Nov

2021

Taking the Risk: Just Go For It

Reading Time: 3 minutes

All of us have experienced pain and challenges in life. Most of us have lost the attitude of “just go for it”. We’ve all learned the lesson of how to avoid pain and how not to take unnecessary risks. For some of us, our past experiences may have been too traumatic. As a result, we transformed from a flower ready to bloom into a shrinking flower unwilling to open our petals. However, taking risks does have its rewards. The trick is to be more in tune with yourself so you know when and what risks you can take. Sometimes, there is fun and satisfaction on the other side of fear.

Young people are admirable for their courage to take risks. They just go for it and do it. Although adults usually see their behavior as foolish; they are actually enjoying their experiences. They also recover quickly from any setbacks. Their actions may seem brash and irresponsible but older people envy them for being able to enjoy each moment of their life. When they want to do something; they just do it. We sometimes wish that we had their energy and enthusiasm for life. Most young people live by the motto: “You Only Live Once”, so do what you want to do. When we think of spontaneous adventures; we usually associate this experience with young people.

While we often describe young people as impulsive decision makers; they are actually more in tune with their self. They make spur-of-the-moment decisions based on their feelings at the moment even if it may make them seem fickle-minded. For most young people, the main reason for doing something is just for the fun of it. There may be negative consequences afterwards; but they had fun together while doing it. It also deepens their friendship.

Grown-ups can also do what they want to do, when they want to do it, with the people they like. In fact, we should be able to make better decisions on what risks to take because we have more life experience. In short, we are able to make informed and even planned risks. We can also be better prepared for the consequences if we fail.

We can’t go back to our teenage years but we can bring back our youthful enthusiasm for life and hone our risk-taking instincts. The first step is to practice taking small risks. With practice, we can be more confident in making major, risky life decisions when needed. Try being mindful about your own behavior and reactions. Just doing something different each day is a good start. The thrill of doing something for the first time, or after a long time, is always a good way to boost your enthusiasm.

Have the urge to appreciate some flowers? Just go for it. Stop and take time to smell the flowers. Take a moment to appreciate the smell of your morning coffee before diving into work. Is your commute getting boring? Maybe take a different route to go to work or back home and see how it makes you feel. A cute shirt caught your eye? Just go for it! Buy the shirt and observe the bounce in your step afterwards. Go on that sudden road trip you were invited to. Do you feel excited again? Say yes to the invite.

Making unusual decisions or risky decisions can feel scary and thrilling at the same time. You can call it gut instinct, intuition or a message from the Universe. The point is to follow the more pleasant feeling of excitement and thrill and see where it takes you. You might find even more wonderful experiences waiting for you on that different route to the office. This is also practicing how to be honest with yourself. It is an opportunity to choose what you really want instead of going with your usual reaction or behavior. While you are doing this experiment, it helps to do it with people you know and care about. They will be the first ones to notice if you have changed. They will also provide added guidance to ensure that you are not recklessly making your decisions.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Taylor Smith on Unsplash.