Does trying something new make you nervous? It can be difficult to step outside of our comfort zones and embrace new experiences. If you are able to move beyond your initial trepidation and embark on a new journey, you can enjoy unexpected results, including increased confidence.

Think of the wildest activity possible, the one that you couldn’t see yourself doing in a million years but that you’d secretly love to do. Well, what’s stopping you? Create a plan and start working towards that goal, whether it’s running a marathon, going back to school, or bungee jumping. If you are successful at something that was once seemingly impossible, you can certainly accomplish more mundane tasks at work or at home, and your confidence will soar.

“New” doesn’t have to mean wild and crazy, though. Maybe you’ve always wanted to explore your artistic side. Signing up for a painting or pottery class would be an easy way to try something new. Maybe you just want to broaden your circle of friends. You could join a club, plan a neighborhood barbecue, or just make an effort to sit by someone new in the lunchroom. Whether your new activity is just for fun or for personal growth, you’ll feel good about yourself for taking that first step in becoming more open to new experiences.

Do you have goals for your family, career or life? It’s certainly easy to mesh the idea of trying new things with goal accomplishment. The goal could be the new activity itself or it could be that trying something completely new is the means to the end. If you can enjoy a new experience at the same time as you reach a goal, the benefits are doubled.

Are there any goals that you used to have that you’ve forgotten or overlooked? Think way back to your childhood years if necessary to discover something that you always wanted to do “when you grew up.” Did you dream of being a dancer? It’s probably too late to join the New York Ballet, but taking a ballroom dancing class in your community could bring a bit of that glamour back into your life. Doing something that you’ve always wanted to accomplish can boost your confidence tremendously. Once you’ve achieved one dream, you won’t be able to wait until you can accomplish another one, and you’ll go after it with the confidence that you can.

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