The Try Something New Manifesto

Today, I’m thrilled to wrap up Manifesto Fest with a manifesto from the adventurous Warren and Betsy Talbot of Married with Luggage. They’re experts on trying new things and changing your life, so it’s only fitting that this is a manifesto on those very topics.

Without further ado, then…

The Try Something New Manifesto

manifesto noun \ˌma-nə-ˈfes-(ˌ)tō\

: a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer

How do you change your life? It doesn’t happen in an instant, like a lightening bolt. You won’t hear a dramatic soundtrack or overture as you near The Moment of change.

In fact, the change can be so gradual you won’t notice it at all. Of course, this is until one someone remarks on your energy, the glow in your face, or how much happier you seem than before. Then it dawns on you: “yeah, my life is pretty terrific.”

It starts by Trying Something New.

Push Beyond Your Comfort Zone

You begin in small ways, gradually pushing out the borders of your comfort zone, giving yourself a bigger space in which to really live.

• You take a different route home from work
• You buy the unfamiliar fruit at the grocery store
• You use chopsticks with your Chinese takeout instead of a fork

These small challenges result in a slightly more adventurous spirit.

• You change your hair style or hair color
• You read a book about something unfamiliar
• You skip the pizza on Friday night and go to an ethnic restaurant instead

As time passes, you begin questioning the status quo, feeding your growing curiosity about the world around you.

• You get to know people who dress, act, think, and look differently than you.
• You seek to understand the motivations, fears, and needs of people who have different political, social, and cultural beliefs than you through news, books, movies, music, and food
• You reach out to engage in discussions in search of more information about new cultures and backgrounds

After a while, your quest for Trying Something New turns inward.

• You challenge yourself physically with a big challenge
• You eat in a healthier or more interesting way than before
• You focus your mind on accomplishing things that you thought were out of reach before…and achieve them

Help Others

The final step comes when you share your newfound knowledge with the world, helping others Try Something New, expand their horizons, and be fully present in their lives.

After all that, you look around and see that the walls that initially held your life in place are gone. In their place is that changed life you wanted, the one where boredom doesn’t exist, your curiosity is fed every single day, and where you share your gifts with the people around you.

When you change your life, you change the world.

About the Authors: Warren & Betsy Talbot live an unconventional life of writing books and traveling the world. It took them 40 years to learn how to live life on their own terms and they share those lessons at MarriedwithLuggage.com, through their books, and podcast. If you are dissatisfied with the life you’re currently living, they invite you to join them in creating an Action Plan for the life you crave.