“I want to lose 20 pounds.” “I’m going to workout.” “I’m going to eat healthier this year.” These and many other New Year’s resolutions are typical to hear around this time of year. Last year, I made a resolution that took me outside of my comfort zone-- I’m going to do one out of the box activity a month for 2017. This “out of the box” activity was going to be something I never tried before, and anyone that wanted to join me could. The experiences I shared with friends and family during these 12 activities were more rewarding than I would have ever expected.

January: Ice Skating. I have tried ice skating before... but this was a new venture for me, so I wanted to start small. Plus, one of my friends that wanted to come along for this journey had never went, so it was a win/win.

February: Skiing. I never had an interest in cold weather sports, mostly because I hate cold weather. Growing up, my high school basketball coach wouldn’t allow us to ski because he was afraid we would get hurt. That must have stuck with me through the years because I stayed away in fear of getting hurt. I wasn’t a natural skier, but I did come out of the experience unharmed.

March: Escape room. This new fad that was sweeping across different towns was brought to my attention by a friend, so I decided to give it a try. It was fun, but it was hard to complete when you are working in a team with people you just met. The old adage, "Too many chiefs and not enough Indians" was apparent during the one hour we had to complete the task.

April: Horseback riding. This was the only activity that I did by myself because I just decided to go for a lesson on a random Sunday. The lady walked me through how to care for a horse, how to guide a horse, and then how to ride a horse. The hour lesson was entertaining but not something I could see myself going back to.

May: Shooting guns. I grew up not being exposed to guns, so I never found an interest in shooting one. My brother-in-law and sister wanted to show me that there was nothing to be scared of. Dressed in camo and orange, I got to shoot a wide variety of handguns and an assault rifle.

June: Kayaking. I’m not a swimmer, so water sports are about as frightening as winter sports are cold. My ice skating partners came back together to make the most of a beautiful June day. I enjoyed being the passenger in the kayak more than the driver, so I’m not sure a one-person kayak would be ideal for me.

July: Whitewater rafting. I met Adventure Sue when I did the escape room in March, so I invited her along on this adventure. This was a hysterical day-- since you have to have six people in a raft we ended up picking up a mother/daughter duo that was less than helpful.

August: Rock climbing. My friend Jen was always up for joining me on my adventures. I loved that we got to share some of the most “daring” things. We weren’t sure what to expect, but we didn’t shy away from trying any of the climbs that were presented to us.

September: Beach yoga. If I was going to try yoga, I figured what better way to relax and meditate than at the beach. I found that I enjoyed any position that required me to sit and be able to watch the ocean the best.

October: Christian rock concert. My daring adventures began to slow down during October by attending a Casting Crowns concert. Even though I have been to many concerts over the years, I have never been to a Christian concert. It was not only enjoyable but uplifting as well.

November: Cooking class. I have always been interested in taking culinary arts classes, so when the opportunity rose to take a one-night cooking class, I didn’t want to pass it up. I’m very picky when it comes to what food I eat, so Spanish paella was enjoyable to make... but I wasn’t up for the challenge of actually eating it.

December: Inflatable 5k. I wanted to do a mud run at some point for one of my resolutions, but as the months began to pass by, it became clear that I would have to settle for another activity. When I found out that there was a race called an insane inflatable 5k, I enlisted my sisters, my mom, and my mom’s cousin to participate in this adventure in Florida nonetheless.

My favorite thing about doing these activities was how much people wanted to join in on the fun. Some friends asked what I was doing next month, some gave me suggestions, and some cleared their calendar to participate. I enjoyed meeting new people and spending time with people I’ve known my whole life. I’m sad that my 2017 resolution is coming to an end, but these 12 activities give me the confidence to continue to step “outside the box” to experience more of what this life as to offer.