ABOUT THE CHALLENGE

What #1

So what is this Challenge Changer (aka where do I grow from here) all about? In short, once a week for the next year I am committing to doing something that I have never done before. Big, small, fun, hard, easy; it really doesn’t matter. The key is that it has to be something that I have never done. Ever. That is at least 52 new things. 52 brand new things.

Sounds easy you say? Well this particular challenge brings with it three distinct obstacles for me:

(a) I have done a ridiculous amount of things in my life already (see here), so finding new things every week may prove quite difficult (cue creativity);

(b) I am currently residing in a small town which greatly limits my options for finding new things to do; and

(c) As I am currently only working part-time in said small town my funds are limited, so the more expensive challenges are off the list (no jumping from outer space for me).

Why?

The long and the short of it – I started this challenge because I was (and am) bored. Bored to the brink of insanity. I need something to occupy my spare time, and to help me through the days when things seem just a little too difficult.

As my family and friends can attest, once I commit to something I follow it through. From deciding to compete in a triathlon (although I couldn’t swim, I didn’t own a bike, and I couldn’t run for more than 50 metres without turning blue from lack of oxygen) to meeting the Queen of England, if I want to do it I will work hard to make it happen, no matter what the task may be.

What #2

So what do I hope to gain out of this?

At first I hoped just to find things to occupy my time and return some much-needed excitement to my life. I also hoped it would show me that there is more around to do then I thought, if only I looked for it.

What I didn’t expect was the lessons I would start to learn along the way. This has come as a great surprise. After the first week I realised that I could actually learn something from my new experiences; or at the very least reinforce something that I already knew but may have forgotten. A challenge with actual meaning – go figure!

Who am I?

Don’t we all ask ourselves that question sometimes? Well I have answered it for you about me – check out the About Me link.

So…

And here I am, completing my challenge for week 3 – starting a blog. For the sake of completeness, I decided to go back and capture my first few weeks, rather than starting from week 3.

Since you have found your way here, I do hope you enjoy the read, and maybe feel inspired to get out and do something new today.

One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.