I understand what it feels like. If you’re like me, you like to keep to what you know. That means not trying new foods, not trying new activities that are difficult or scary or even not wanting to meet new people because you are either too shy or worried about what other people will think about you.

My advice to you is try new things even if they are scary. You can dedicate one of your friends to be that person that encourages you to try new things. By no means am I telling you to change yourself but some of my experiences might just change your mind. I know it’s scary to try new things but it might just be worth it..

Trying new activities is what makes you figure out what you like to do. But I understand that it can be scary. You think to yourself that what you are doing can be scary and you could possibly get hurt. So instead of risking it, you stay in your comfort zone because you know it's safe. You need to find a way to step out of that comfort zone.

During my vacation, we thought of going hiking, mountain biking and participating in a race up about 1,500 to 2,000 feet of elevation. Believe me, I was terrified. The race was definitely unnerving because it was uphill and going that high up sounds like a lot of work. This isn’t about laziness but what goes through your head sounds like, “Can I actually do something like that?” After doing the race, I realized I could. What probably scared me the most was mountain biking. I have never felt so unsafe. Going over rocks and roots of trees make the bike wobbly and hard to steer. While going downhill the speed of the bike increases at a rapid pace. At one point I hit a rock and almost fell in the creek but at the last second, I grabbed a tree so I didn’t fall in. A nice fall in the water wouldn’t have been that bad though since mountain biking is hard work and it was hot. But at the end of it all, you can say to yourself, “I did that. I actually did that.” If you fail that is okay because at least you tried something that you have never done before. It definitely helps to have people there to support you along the way. The feeling you have after accomplishing something that you’ve never done before is the whole reason you should try something new.

When meeting new people, being shy is okay, but worrying about what other people will think about you is not. I have realized that you shouldn’t worry about what anyone thinks about you. It's only important what you think of yourself. I was introduced to many different people on my vacation recently and I would like to say that I was open and felt even more confident with myself than usual because I realized that all that matters is what I think of myself. Meeting new people can be fun and exciting. Learning about people can be great because one person is different to the next. It’s exciting learning about people and their stories when you meet someone new. The memories you make when talking to someone new are the ones you won’t forget no matter what situation you meet them in.

It's understandable that people have a certain line they don't cross so they don't go outside of their comfort zone and there is no problem with that. But getting out there and trying new things might just open your eyes to different aspects of your life that can be exciting once you try them. I think people should try new things to get just a little glimpse of other things that are out there in the world, whether it is new people, places, activities or food. I mean who knows, maybe one new thing you try or new person you meet just might change your life for the better.