The Power of Trying Something New
This is the year I turn 50, and I am excited about it. Somehow, turning 40 seemed like a big deal—like crossing over into “getting old.” That makes me giggle now. Each decade gets better. Not that it doesn’t come with challenges, but maybe I feel more equipped to handle them. It’s not necessarily a new problem, just one dressed up in a different costume.
I didn’t have a specific plan for this year, but I wanted to be open to new experiences and live life fully. What I didn’t expect was for that to include a five-day breathwork seminar.
I was matched with Elijah on a podcast match site. He specialized in a unique type of breathwork. Honestly, I had no clue what it was. Normally, I would have just passed on guests like him, but something intrigued me. I sent a message saying I’d love to interview him but didn’t understand what he did. If he was willing to guide me through the breathwork, I thought it would make for an interesting podcast discussion. Our schedules didn’t align for a month or two, but we finally made it happen. He told me to block out two hours, and even though I had read his book about breath work, I had no idea what I was getting into.
During the session, I felt energy surge through my body and a clarity I didn’t know existed. It was an experience I never expected—like someone had dropped off a gift at my front door out of the blue. I immediately wanted to do it again. We recorded the podcast, and then I joined another group breathing session online. Again, a magical experience.
Elijah was having a five-day retreat in Northern California. Normally, this would have been a hard “no” for me. A five-day breathing retreat by myself? Even as I type this, I smile because I’m still amazed I went.
One thing I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older is to trust my intuition and stop questioning why. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go, but I knew I was supposed to be there. I sat in the kitchen, crying, as I told Jeff I believed I needed to attend this breathing seminar. He simply said, “Then go.” That was exactly what I needed to hear. Don’t overcomplicate or overthink it. If you believe you’re supposed to be there, get out of your own way and just go. Don’t let fear or second-guessing stop you. I am so grateful for Jeff and his support. However, I was still nervous about going!
When I walked in, I quickly realized that everyone already knew each other—I was the “new outsider.” Interesting. They were lovely people, but not my typical group of friends. Hence why I was at the retreat alone. 😊 I didn’t tell many people what I was doing because, truthfully, I didn’t even know myself!
The first night we did a short 10-minute breathwork session. I felt myself wanting to close down, to retreat inward. A line from The Untethered Soul played in my head: “Keep your heart open. Don’t close it for anything.” I breathed and kept my heart open. Open to meeting and learning about new people. Open to new practices. Open to simply loving people who were different from me.
Over the next five days, I got to know the ten other participants. We laughed together, cried together, and breathed together. I had deep insights into my life, and for the first time in years, I felt grounded. I felt as if my feet were cemented down, and I was finally starting to put the puzzle pieces together—of who I was and who I was meant to be. I also feel like I gained 10 new friends.
I consider myself a thankful person, but I believe thankfulness is surface-level, while gratitude runs much deeper. I honestly struggle to feel true gratitude (don’t judge). However, after these five days, I left with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the clarity I had received. I had been searching for answers for so long, and they came in the most unexpected place.
I am sharing this story because often as adults, we quit trying new things. We get stuck in our ways. We have fears around not being able to do things, looking silly, wasting time, and so many other reasons. I love seeing when people do step outside their comfort zone. To try their 1st Orangetheory class, cross the finish line at their first 5K or marathon, or achieve a goal that they didn’t know was possible. I have found power in the pause before saying yes or no. We can’t say yes to everything, but sometimes there is a gem tucked away in a new experience.
What do you want to try? Maybe you have something, but you have been scared to do it. Think about revisiting it. Maybe you aren’t sure, you can be on the look out! There is power in new experiences!