Unfamiliarity and Fears

On trying different/new things in life

There was a two-day training at my workplace last week. There was an instructor and few people already in the room when I reached the office on day 1 of the training. I greeted them and took a seat next to my colleague I just finished the last project with. Others came and everybody took the seats as per their choices. The people sort of got divided into two sides of the room. The training went well, and everybody left the room in the evening. On day 2, the same people were in the same room. Almost everyone took the same side and sat next to the same person they were sitting yesterday. Nobody told us to do so but that’s what I did, and others did too.

When I was feeling tired in the middle of the training and couldn’t consume what was being taught, I noticed that, and it made me think about how we all subconsciously go for familiar things, people or spots in life. Our subconscious mind marks familiar stuff as safe. In a room full of strangers, it’s a relief to see someone we know. The awkwardness we feel when we enter an event, we don’t know anyone at. The same route we follow to reach a same destination. The same place we feel the urge to go for a holiday. The same set of ingredients we use for cooking in a same sequence. The same restaurant and the same dish we order there with a saying that I don’t want to get disappointed.

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

Safety is good. Familiarity is good. Don’t stop taking in all the relief it can give you. But sometimes we outgrow familiar things, spots, relationships or friendships. Sometimes familiar things can be toxic or draining your energy. Sometimes there is a voice inside your head which says I want different, or I want more. Sometimes you might be missing life’s miracle when you don’t try new things, or you don’t go to an event you wanted to go badly but canceled it as you were scared to go by yourself.

When you try something unfamiliar or new which you wanted to do for long, let fear be with you on the journey and validate your fear that I acknowledge you came as we are doing this or going there for the first time. Waiting for the fear to go away before you can try something new is almost like waiting for forever. Also, allow yourself not to be the best for the first time and allow yourself to come out of it with just a realization that it’s not for you. The more you practice trying unfamiliar things, the more you will have the courage to do them. The more self-awareness it will bring to you. The more you will come closer to yourself. It might bring you to your new favorite hobby, your new friend, your new favorite bookstore, your new favorite cafe or just gratitude towards what you already have. You will not know until you try. I hope you all are doing well. Thank you for being here.

Lots of love and healing,

Harneek!

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This week’s recommendations:

• A smattering of light reading by

  Leanne Hunt
  . Beautiful heart touching words by Leanne on Connections and other things

• The Little Lies We Tell Ourselves by

  Helen Redfern
  A very honest letter describing about her feelings and struggles around being a writer

• Connection. by

  Jamal Robinson
  Another beautiful one on human connections