I jumped. Straight into the air, both feet leaving the ground. I probably only jumped 30cm high or so, but it felt as if I had jumped straight into the sky and could touch the clouds. It was a moment I’m not going to forget in a while. Why? Because I tried something new. Because I felt like being a three year old again when I learned to tie my own shoes for the first time.
Can you remember your last first time?
Since I travel so much I experience these kind of moments way more often – these first times. My first parachute jump. My first dive with whale sharks, my first sunrise on the top of a mountain. These are experiences I’ll tell my grandchildren about, no doubt! They’re so special because I tried something new. I awaken my senses, my heart rate doubles and my focus is 100% attuned to the moment. No matter what happened yesterday, no matter what happens tomorrow. I’m enjoying the moment. I feel, experience and internalise this moment, in which something new suddenly happens. Allegedly we know ourselves the best, especially on a day-to-day basis. You know what you like, what makes you feel anxious and what makes you laugh. But being confronted with new situations, well sometimes I surprise myself. I love it. It gives my relationship with myself a boost.
Absolutely, trying out new things is rejuvenating. It doesn’t have to be something huge like a parachute jump. Sometimes it’s the small things, like managing to do a forearm stand in yoga or Kangoo Jumps on holiday on Crete. Kangoo Jumps entail hopping around like a kangaroo on springy shoes. Feels like flying – light as a feather and great fun.
I often find that I’m more open to new experiences when I’m on holiday, in a new city or a strange country, rather than being stuck in my routine. But why not try something new on the way to your destination? I decided to make use of my train ride to Hamburg and got in touch with the photographer Tobias Seifert, who shared loads of photography tips with me during my trip. I learned how to compose the shot in an exciting manner, what to bear in mind in portrait photography and how to focus on moving landscapes when I’m travelling by train.
Check out this video to see how I got on:
I also know how hard it is to get out of your routine, so take a look at these tips:
- If you’re not the spontaneous type, you could plan to try something new on a regular basis – every week. Why not every Tuesday?
- Find a friend who’s keen to join in.
- Your imagination knows no limits. Trying something new can comprise a host of activities. A new route to work, a new form of exercise, a new recipe.
- Don’t be scared. Trying something new often triggers fear. Fear of failing. But why? Every experience, good or bad, is worth making. Don’t think of new things as scary but rather as exciting and fascinating.
- Don’t let me catch you saying “I’m too old for that.” You’re never too old to embark on a new path and try something new. It’s mostly an excuse because you’re scared!
If you need more inspiration on new things to try on trains and you want to win a city trip for 2, visit bahn.de/deinezeit. Upload a photo that shows you doing something new during a train trip and you could be a winner! I’d love to hear what you tried out recently and what you’re going to try out next. Drop me a comment below this post.
This post is part of a cooperation project with Deutsche Bahn.
