Get Help: 855-342-0869
Blog > Try Something New

Try Something New

Susanne Johnson
| September 15, 2015

Sometimes life gets into a pattern we are used to. I keep hearing “Same ol’, same ol’,” at several places I go to, regardless of education, age, family status or personal interests. Why is it that life seems to be “same ol’” to so many people? It’s not that life is boring. Maybe there are still lots of interesting things happening, but the person saying it always sounds bored, frustrated, or at least unhappy with the status quo.

I remember during my times in addiction “same ol’” was exactly was I was wanting. I wanted nothing to change, everything to stay the same, and all my life to keep moving along within my comfort zone. We always say that alcoholics and addicts hate two things the most: Anything changing and anything staying the same. I didn’t even want to move a piece of furniture around since it disturbed my internal harmony of things needing to stay the same. But do I like if all my life just moves steady, every day the same like a streak in the mountains? Not today! I want that it rains sometimes in my life and that streak becomes a river and some excitement happens. I recognized in my recovery, that life means living and living is way more interesting if every day something new happens. I am not the person I was when I entered recovery, and I don’t want that stage of changeless stagnation in addiction anymore.

Now you might say ‘Well, good for you if you have an interesting life, but I sure don’t. I go to work, to meetings, eat, sleep, and repeat. It’s boring.” But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can design your life today as you wish. Why not try something new and give your life’s living room a brand new painting? I don’t know what I miss, unless I have tried it and the possibilities to try new things are endless. How about trying a new kind of sport or exercise? This not only gives your life a bright new color, but also is undeniably a big improvement for your health. Or you could plant an herbal garden this spring in your backyard. It doesn’t need much effort to keep it growing, but you can find enjoyment for your eyes, your smell and your taste-buds at the same time. Talking about culinary experiences, you can get a cookbook about some new way of cooking and pamper your family and yourself with new creations.

I go to meetings, but I rarely go to the same ones all the time. I love variety and meeting new people. I switch my meetings around and enjoy the change in my daily routine. If your job is frustrating, maybe it’s time to write some applications and find some change in that area. I’m not a tree, I can move, so can you.
“You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery, and always challenge yourself to try new things.” – Nate Berkus

All in all, please try something new today. Let us please just put a word under this article of things people could try in order to spice up their life. Let us encourage each other on this page. Please hit ‘Join the Conversation’ and just write something like ‘painting’, ‘cross-training’ or ‘get a cat from the shelter’, or anything you would like to share with somebody who wants to try something new. Let us be each other’s well of ideas here, and please try something new today. If you meet me in person, tell me your exciting news, I love to hear them. If you are too shy to write here, message me your ideas on Facebook and I will post them here in the comment section for you.

Have an exciting life in recovery and break out of your daily routine.

Susanne

1581 Stories