Finding Appalachia

Although I aim to live a simple life, I truly believe that “variety is the spice of life”.  I strive to make sure that I don’t allow myself or my family to become mired in repetition or “but this is how we always do it” mentality.  I strive to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations.  I have always had a roll with it attitude, and this has served me well in a lot of settings (although I have struggled to set boundaries at other times).  Being comfortable with change and trying new things makes you a flexible and resilient personality who is easy to work with and enjoyable to be around.  It lends itself to a servant mentality.

Allowing for variety in various aspects of your life allows for mental stimulation.  When we get beyond mundane repetition, we become more creative.  We stretch our mental capacity and flex neurological pathways we may not have used in a while.  Trying new things can prevent the onset of boredom and monotony, helping us to feel fully engaged in our lives.  Escaping our routine patterns can enhance our capacity for learning and emotional growth as it gives our minds space to exercise.

Some ideas to practice variety in your personal life is to find a new hobby or activity.  I recently picked up diamond painting.  Is it simple, and maybe silly to some? Yes. But it is extremely meditative in ways that a lot of my other activities were not.  Try an activity that has elements very different from your existing hobbies.  Another way to inject variety into everyday life is to try new cuisine.  Do you cook? Explore a new regional cuisine.  Are you a restaurant-goer? Try that place you thought you wouldn’t be caught dead in.  Finally, if you travel, give a new destination a go.  The best thing about traveling is seeing new places and experiencing new people. So actually go somewhere you have never been!  Can it be scary? Of course!  But the reward of getting outside your comfort zone is so worth it.

You can also strive to add variety into your professional life.  What new opportunities for diverse experiences will allow you to stretch your skill set? I recently had the opportunity to take on a position as a Director of Library and Testing. While I have over a decade of experience in librarianship, I have minimal experience proctoring exams let alone administering an entire testing center.  However, I know that this experience will allow me to grow into a wider student services role if I continue to work in higher education.  Also, get out and meet people who have a different background from you. Build your network. What amazing insight can they bring to your work situation and what amazing opportunities can your new network give you!  Always be on the lookout for ways to expand your skill set and adapt.  How can you expand into new spaces by leveraging learning opportunities? Is there a webinar series that can thrust you into a new certification course? Does your employer offer some reimbursement for tuition? Take advantage and expand into something a little tough.  Make yourself a little uncomfortable and it will pay off in the end.

Does your friend group all look the same? Did they all go to the same high school as you? Maybe you need a change. Moving around a lot has forced me to befriend people with backgrounds very different from my own. And I love that.  I don’t get caught up in cliques and befriending people with very different lived experiences from mine helps me work my compassion muscles and keeps me humble. When possible, I try to participate in a variety of social events and gatherings.  My husband and I will attend events put on by a variety of local groups or churches in town, as well as attending events sponsored by the local Air Force Base.  This brings us in contact with a lot of people from a lot of different places.  Whenever possible, I try to experience different cultures.  When I lived in Michigan, I would visit with Muslim friends and learn about their faith and culture, for example.  Opportunities for this level of cultural experience are a little more limited in Oklahoma, but I jump at any chance to sit down and have a meal with someone who has a different lived experience than me.

Change can be scary. We call it a comfort zone for a reason.  People settle into a clear cut routine because that is our natural human tendency.  It is what has allowed us to survive for millenia. So why change it?

Because not exercising our neurons causes them to deteriorate and degrade.  Humans now live longer than we ever have.  If we do not want our minds to waste away due to the deterioration of old age, we must exercise them.  We must seek variety; we must seek change to our daily routine; we must push past the comfort zone.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand that there are real challenges to experiencing real variety in your life.  You may be experiencing a significant anxiety disorder.  I will never disregard someone’s mental health issues.  They are as legitimate as any other disease.  However, you do need to treat it just like you need to treat any other disease with proper management and medication.  Part of that process may even be working with a therapist to try new things!

The fear of the unknown is a legitimate fear, but it must be assessed against real risk.  If you go to that new restaurant and do not like it, what is the worst that happened? You had an unpleasant meal and do not do it again.  Too often we get boxed into our comfort zone.  Push beyond the edges and feel just a little discomfort and feeling uncomfortable becomes easier.  Of course not everyone has the resources to go and travel somewhere new everyday, but we can always assess the choices in front of us and think is this really my only choice or have I convinced myself of that because it makes me comfortable?

So, while the challenges are quite real, so are the opportunities.  Here are some ways you can strive to incorporate variety into your everyday life

1. Set small goals

Have you never traveled alone? Take a day trip by yourself. Then spend one night out of town alone. Keep building up.

2. Keep an open mind

When presented with an opportunity, just go for it. Even if you think you may not enjoy it, if it is going to be a low investment of money, time, and energy, give it a try.  Someone invites you to an evening book club with a group you haven’t met, just go.  You get invited to a free concert, just go.

3. Plan ahead and prioritize experience

Don’t let life just happen. That’s how you fall into routine.  Plan for some varied experiences.  Say “I will try that Ethiopian place next week” and put it on the calendar! Tell your partner “I am camping for Spring Break” and book the camp site and invite them to join you.

Just get out there and do something different. Meet people who have a different experience from you.  Just go and talk to your neighbor about that one time they visited Mexico if that’s as far away as you can get, but try and experience something different.  Push yourself beyond your comfort zone mentally, physically, emotionally and it will pay dividends in your work and social life.