18 Things to Try In 2018

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Disclaimer: I’m weird, and like trying new weird things things As a new year approaches us it is a great time to reflect on the year behind us and dial into the positive qualities we would like to integrate into our lives. When January greets your warmly it brings with it that sense of hope, freshness, and endless possibilities. What better time to try some thing new that could benefit you…. One should always explore new terrains in life. This way one can say “At least I tried and now I know I don’t like it.” or who knows you could easily fall in love with the thing your giving a shot and integrate it into your life. It is fun, awesome, and rewarding when I can introduce different practices, methods, and experiences to people for the first time as means to help someone become a better, stronger, and wiser person in life. Some of the things below may make you uncomfortable, but maybe that is just the reason to try it. Life begins outside your comfort zone. When we do or face the things that we are scared of thats when we begin to witness growth.

“Experience life in all possible ways — good-bad, bitter-sweet, dark-light, summer-winter. Experience all the dualities. Don’t be afraid of experience, because the more experience you have, the more mature you become.” ― Osho

Here I have 18 fun endeavors to take on. Some are easy, some are unusual, some you may have preconceived notions on(try to put them aside).

1. Floating – As a float enthusiast this is atop the list for a reason…. it is awesome. Float tanks – also known as sensory deprivation tanks – are one of the best ways to get your body and mind to chill out. Floating will help you get better sleep, melt your stresses away, recover from a workout quicker, and leave you feeling revitalized to name a few benefits it produces. Having gone floating for the last three years it has become a part of my routine, I go once every week – seeing this holistic modality as an investment on my well being. I recommend it to anyone and everyone that wants to listen to me. I read that your should give it 3 tries before you come to your conclusions on floating. Most places do an introductory package three for the price of two.
2. Journaling – Writing down my thoughts each morning is one of the best habits I’ve incorporated into my life as it allows my mind to empty onto the pages then in turn being able to think more clearly. Looking back at the past entries is cool to see the frame of mind you had then. The practice of writing can help get your creative juices flowing as well.
3. Read The Power of Now by Eckart Tolle – This book has many gems of wisdom in its pages such as suggesting how our minds are basically using us unknowingly and how to turn the tide in becoming more conscious in our daily lives by becoming the watcher of your thoughts and emotions as they arise. It becomes clearer the more present we become the more authentic our actions become. This is the book I recommend and gift the most. To me The Power of Now has so much value I force myself to re-read it every year.
4. Listen to the Aubrey Marcus Podcast – Hands down one of the most informative podcasts on being a better human and how to elevate yourself in all aspects of your life. Aubrey is the CEO of Onnit a total human optimization company that sells everything from supplements to kettlebells shaped like monkeys. Aubrey has been a great teacher of life to me. I was fortunate enough to see him talk live at Burning Man, it was quite the treat. His guests range from World-class athletes like Lance Armstrong to entertainers like Jamie Foxx and Joe Rogan with leading Neuroscientists, Psychologists, and health experts coming on to discuss life changing topics. Check it out, theres an episode for everyone on there. Podcasts are awesome – listen while you commute to work, work-out, or clean your room.
5. Supplement with Alpha-Brain – Alpha-Brain is nootropic (dietary supplement that helps support certain brain functions, such as memory, mental speed, and focus) made by Onnit. After 4 years of experimenting with this supplement I can tell you that it does work and helps me with daily mental functioning. It is probably the closest thing you will get to the pill from the movie Limitless.
6. Leave Your Country – More people need to start traveling – that is a fact. Have you never left your country? Always dreamed of visiting that one paradise you only imagined of going to in your life? Why not just take leap and go?….. We tend to get in our own way when it comes to traveling internationally by coming up with all the reasons that it won’t work out. There is no better feeling then exploring the terrain of what was once a dream, that has manifested itself. Leading one to a vast mind-opening experience of a new culture, that produces a gratitude and better understanding of their native land. As the great Hunter S. Thompson said: “Buy the ticket, Take the ride.”
7. Infrared Sauna – Infrared saunas are a type of sauna that uses heat and light to help relax and detoxify the body. Sitting in a 150 degree wooden box for 45 minutes is my new favorite life hack. Reading about the many benefits of an infrared sauna – After getting to try it out and I fell in love with it. Compared to the traditional sauna this one was much gentler on the body. After the first ten minutes I felt a wave of calmness engulf my body. When it was all over I was left feeling rejuvenated and renewed.
8. Meditation – This is the one that most people will be scared to try. Many stereotypes are intertwined with meditation. The active art of getting still requires discipline and will. My favorite analogy for meditation is its just like taking a shower for the mind. One can be overwhelmed with where to start when beginning, now there are so many kinds and variations of meditation. It just takes some experimenting to find which is the right one for you. For starters I would recommend trying a guided meditation. Binaural beats can also assist in achieving a meditative state which are worth checking out too. Just like lifting weights start small and gradually build your way up(start with 2 mins and try to work your way up to 20 mins – sit quiet with your eyes closed being observant of the body and mind – focus on the sensation of breath).
9. Kava – This ground up root has been around for a while but still not to many people know about it and the medicinal properties contained. Consuming kava will put you in a relaxed state of mind and cure your anxiety and worries . You can get it in a ground up powder, tea, or in a pill form. The taste can be some what earthy and unique, yet drinking it is the best way to reap the rewards of this calming elixir.
10. Cold Showers – I’m sure if you have ever had a conversation with me I have touted your horn about the benefits of cold showers. This may be one of the tougher things to do on this list. If and once accomplished you will see your will-power lever trend upwards significantly. Having took cold showers for a year straight I can tell you it is a powerful tool. Check out my post on cold showers.
11. Write a Letter to Yourself 3 Years from Now – A teacher of mine had brought this experiment into my life a few years back. The way it works is: write yourself a letter 3 years from now being you 3 years into the future. You tell yourself everything that you have accomplished and done in those 3 years. I did this practice 3 years ago and to my surprise I had done and accomplished most of the goals that I set out to do in the future. It is almost by writing out the things that you want to do in the tense of already doing them forces you to actually do them in real life. I know it sounds like the law of attraction, but it really seems to work. Re-reading my 3 year letter, I had found that I ran a marathon, took a mini-retirement in Asia for seven months, and went to Burning Man three dreams of mine.
12. Donating to a Friend’s Cause – This is something everyone should do at leastonce a year. Do you have a friend thats raising money for ….. a family members that house burnt down/ autism awareness/ running an ultra-marathon to save the polar bears in the North Pole/ a Kickstarter to make suitcases from recycled cans????? So many times we see friends raising money for a good cause and often times are first impulse is to just to keep scrolling and say in our heads: “Why should I waste my money on that?” When the truth is the generosity of giving far outways the money donated. Your giving the person hope, gratitude, and inspiration with your currency. Donating a small amount as little as $10 can bring a huge smile to a friend or strangers face leaving them in jubilation. [SIDE – NOTE: IT’S ONLY TEN DOLLARS!] Having been on the receiving end of this I can only tell you how empowering it is when your friends, family, and strangers come together for a good cause.
13. Explore the website High Exsistence – Hands down my favorite website. This site is dedicated to personal growth, making the world a better place, and everything awesome. It is full of original content that can inspire and motivate someone to living a more well rounded and fulfilling life. It has been cool to watch the site blossom into something beautiful over the past five years.
14. ~~Set Goals~~ Write Down Goals – Without goals in life we are going in circles with no destination in mind. It is a great idea to get clear and figure out what you want to achieve with your time on earth. When you actually write down a goal something magical happens: you put your thoughts into the physical realm of life. Doing this allows the universe to help you with your endeavors and seeing what you wrote down it becomes easier to stay focus and motivated. It is said that we overestimate what we can do a year, but we underestimate what cam be accomp lished in three years.
15. Drink Lemon Water in the Morning – One easy way towards a healthier way of living is through hydration. It is important once waking that we replenish our body with what it was missing while your physical bodies were repairing itself in our sleep. But why lemons you ask? Lemons will balance or even increase your pH level. They help detox the body by removing unwanted impurities and giving the body the much needed nutrients, while boosting the immune system. I’m accustom to juciing half a lemon then adding it about 12-14 oz of water, then throwing it down the hatch. Even just a small squeeze of a wedge can give you the much needed benefits. I’ll do this right after going to the restroom. NOTE: drink the lemon water before brushing your teeth, as the high acidity of the lemon juice can harm your teeth!
16. Probiotics – It has been said that 70 % of the immune system lies in the gut. So in order to remain happy and healthy we need to feed our gut biomes with healthy probiotics. The good bacteria will improve your digestion, as you can supplement with probiotics or find them in fermented foods and drinks. My favorite form of probiotic is kombucha, it is a fermented tea which is highly carbonated and rich tasting. When managing a healthy gut you can notice a change in energy, mental clarity, stronger immune system, and better sleep.
17. Gratitude – This is one thing that most Americans and others need in their lives. Gratitude is easily one of the easiest ways to achieve happiness. If you have food on your plate, a shelter, a bed, and clothing your are so much better off than most of world yet you don’t even realize how rich your are. We are so used to thinking in terms of what our lives are lacking – FLIP THE SWITCH – Think of all that you do have: pay attention and give thanks for your health, family, job, friends, cup of coffee, smartphone, car, running water, or whatever it is that you do have. Take a moment out of your day to be more grateful of the positives in your life. It only takes five minutes a day to put some positive energy into your life.
18. Couchsurfing – With Couchsurfing you can either be a guest or a host travelers mostly that are in your area looking for an informal place to stay. Personally I’ve only hosted guests at my place. It was a great and memorable experience. A great way to meet people and exchange travel stories and cultures. The hosts allow the guests to stay free of charge. As a safety precaution you can verify you identity to insure the person is who they say they are. I look forward to having the opportunity to stay with someone the next time I travel. This is a cheap means of accommodation when traveling and a good way to get a feel of a place from your local host.

These are just some things I think people should experiment with and give a shot. Sometimes the things we fear the most are the things we need to absolutely do to overcome that fear. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

You've read 18 Things to Try In 2018, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you've enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.