Are you willing to make small experiments that interrupt your routines?
Are you willing to test assumptions about your deeply held beliefs?
Are you willing to walk in another’s shoes for a mile?
These questions present powerful opportunities. Most of us do not ask these types of questions or take the opportunity to experiment with our beliefs.
Not only are we creatures of habit but our habits are attached to deeply held beliefs. For example, many of us build our entire lives around our vocations only to find that, when we retire, we are lost and without purpose or clear direction.
We may discover that we have lived with the underlying story of not being good enough for so long that it feels true, but it is so far from the truth.
To truly integrate small experiments into our daily or weekly practice means that we are willing to grow into new stories of who we are or maybe even live a life without being attached to any story at all.
Here are some examples of small experiments:
Leave your cell phone at home one evening when you go out. Yes, this is possible for an evening. Notice what happens when you do this.
When people ask you what you do, try using a different descriptor than your traditional response. If you are a teacher, for example, tell the questioner about some other aspect of your identity such as, I am a struggling parent of a teenager, or I am a part-time painter.
If you are feeling bold, experiment with no identity at all and simply tell people that you are experimenting with different ways to spend your time wisely.
Pay attention to how this feels and what these experiments trigger for you. What emotions or feelings emerge? What thoughts race through your mind?
This practice can help us have an Amazing Year because we become open to new ways of experiencing life which can make us feel more vibrant, more present, and more alive.