On New Experiences

My experience in life has shown me that change and growth is very important. Without development and growth, organisms tend to stagnate and fail. And even those that seek homeostasis often do not find it, instead finding that change is forced on them. This gives us the opportunity to either embrace change and find a way to grow or to fight it.

Ange embracing "The Alignment" (5.10c/d).

In the past few months I've been going through a lot of changes, some of which have been very good, and others very unpleasant. The unique thing about embracing change (on any level, large or small) is that it give you the ability to have new experiences. New experiences (coupled with the correct attitude) lead to growth. And growth (coupled with the correct attitude) leads to improvement and happiness.

From my own life: I never thought I would be single again, but now I am and embracing this change allows me to live in ways I once thought impossible. I now have the opportunity to do yoga weekly, and even though I'm extremely un-flexable and not very good at it, I enjoy it. Had I allowed my fear of change, new things, or looking goofy intervene, I would be extremely unhappy and missing out on amazing new opportunities.

One motto I've been living by (and I don't know if I came up with this or heard it somewhere) is: "Accept what you cannot change and change what you cannot accept." It sounds like a contradiction, but if you dig deeper you realize there is a powerful sentiment involved. For me, getting divorced was something I couldn't change, hence my acceptance. I couldn't live in Texas any longer, hence my push for change. The philosophy involves the use of resistance and flow, something you see in nature and the universe if you look at its underlying structure. I think this is some type of elemental truth and is very powerful.

View from the top of Pancake Rock.

Anyway, back to new experiences. Apart from the divorce and yoga, the biggest new experience I've been having is making a lot of new friends. Aside from the fact that I've typically not had that many friends, the newness of this situation is that many of these new friends are females. Combine the fact I started dating Nikki when I was 16 and that I was a shy, homeschooled kid at the time and the result was that I've really never made many female friends. Sure, I was friends with Nikki's girl friends, but that is not the same. It's different when you have people who like you for who you are, not who you're dating/married to. At any rate, I'm extremely happy to have become friends with so many really amazing people, both male and female. It has made this Colorado experience all the sweeter.

So, don't be too afraid of change or new experiences. Allow yourself to experience life from as many angles and vantages as possible. Take in the good and use it for positive growth in your life. Learn from the bad and find ways to incorporate the lessons you learn from it. Beware stagnation and homeostasis. Most importantly, LIVE!

Love life,

Wahrer of the Worlds