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50 Ways to Open Your World to New Possibilities

“To get something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” ~Unknown

Maybe you feel stuck. Or bored. Or frustrated. It’s not that you don’t like the life you live, it’s just that you suspect there’s something more. Some greater sense of meaning or excitement. New connections. New adventures. New possibilities.

The truth is those possibilities are always within your reach. You may not be able to quit your job or develop new skills by osmosis, but every day contains within it countless opportunities, all dictated by the choices you make.

Some of those choices may seem inconsequential when you face them. They’re the little things, after all. Why not do it how you usually do? Why not stay in your comfort zone when it’s just so comfortable there?

Do it for the possibility. The possibility that if you make one minor change you may set the stage for major fulfillment. Sometimes even the smallest shift in thinking or doing can create the biggest opportunity. Here’s how to get started.

Get Out of Your Head

1. Challenge your beliefs about what you can and can’t do. Maybe you are a good leader. Maybe you can do hard things. Maybe you can change careers at your age.

2. Challenge your ideas about how things should work. Sometimes when you decide how things should be you limit your ability to be effective in the world as it actually is.

3. Have a vision session. Write in a journal, create a video, sketch—anything that lets you explore what excites you most.

4. Look for opportunities in a tough situation. Avoid a victim mentality and opt instead for a “ready for new beginnings” attitude.

5. Remove something from your life that doesn’t serve you to make room for something better and new. You never know what you might let in when you let something go.

6. Commit to something you always say you’ll do but always fail to start—and then take the first step right now.

7. Turn your focus from something don’t want to something you do want. This allows you to shift your energy from complaining to taking action.

8. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Positive energy creates positive results.

9. Identify the blocks that keep you from breaking a bad habit. Anytime you improve your habits, you pave the path for personal excellence.

10. Forgive someone if you’ve been holding a grudge. Removing that block will open you up where previously you’d shut down.

Get Out in the Open

11. Walk to work and open your eyes. You may find a gym you want to join or an organization where you’d like to volunteer.

12. Talk to someone while waiting in line and ask what they do. You don’t need to wait for a specified event to network.

13. Make an effort to connect with people you pass—smile and make eye contact for a little longer than usual. Being even slightly more open can open up your world.

14. Learn a new skill. Start taking piano lessons or karate classes.

15. Say yes to something you always talk yourself out of—sing karaoke or take a kickboxing class, even if you’re afraid of you’ll feel embarrassed.

16. Take a walking lunch. Walk around your neighborhood for a half-hour with no destination in mind, and then eat at your desk when you return. You never know what will happen when you get out without a plan.

17. Volunteer at your local animal shelter or ASPCA chapter.

18. Start something you always assumed it was too late to do. Take gymnastics, learn guitar. If it moves you, get started today. It’s never too late.

19. Take up urban foraging—the act of foraging for “free” fruits and vegetables around your city (where harvesting is sanctioned). According to worldchanging.com, “It saves money (free food!), it reduces waste (all that fruit isn’t rotting on the ground) and it builds community (…by forcing interaction between strangers…).”

20. Join an adventure club to try new activities, like white water rafting and rock climbing, and meet new people at the same time.

Get in with People

21. Offer to help someone else. Sometimes it’s the best way to help yourself, and not just for the warm fuzzy feeling it provides. You never know what you’ll learn through the process.

22. Carpool to work. This gives you a chance to get to know coworkers better—good for socialization, and possibly good for your career.

23. Compliment a stranger on something you notice. Everyone likes to be appreciated, and it’s a great way to start a conversation.

24. Take pictures of things you find interesting that other people might not notice. When you’re trying to frame the smiley face of leftover food on your plate, people will naturally want to ask what you’re doing. (I know this from experience).

25. Do something you enjoy alone. Go to a museum or read a book in the park. You’re more accessible when you’re not engulfed in a crowd, making it easier for new people to approach you.

26. Wear an interesting T-shirt, something funny or nostalgic. You likely won’t get through a day wearing a Gem or Alf shirt with at least one conversation with someone new!

27. Move one of your friends into a new pool. Take one from the “we keep things light and casual” pool into the “we share our dreams and confide each other” pool. Research shows people who have five or more close friends describe themselves as happy.

28. Bring enough lunch to share with other people at work—particularly childhood favorites. Nothing bonds like shared nostalgia.

29. Pay attention to other people’s body language and expressions so you can offer assistance when they seem to need it.

30. Help someone else get out of their comfort zone. You just may set the precedent that you challenge each other in your friendship.

Get Into Your Work

31. Show up a half-hour early or leave thirty minutes late. You’ll get more done, you may impress your boss, and you might open yourself up to opportunities for growth, particularly if your coworkers aren’t around.

32. Speak up in a meeting, even if you don’t feel confident or you’re afraid you’ll be embarrassed. Your ideas can only take shape if you put them out there.

33. Hold your meeting outside. People work and engage differently in new environments, particularly when they can feel sunlight on their faces.

34. Hold a meeting standing up. This will most likely make it shorter, meaning you’ll be more efficient and create more time to work on something else.

35. Create a business card that speaks to what really matters to you, like Meng Tan’s “jolly good fellow” card.

36. Start learning a new language. The more people you can communicate with, the more valuable you become, particularly for work that involves traveling abroad.

37. If you don’t work in your dream industry, volunteer within it. This allows you to be your purpose now, even though you don’t have the job; gain experience; and make valuable connections.

38. Find a mentor. Ask someone who does what you’d like to do for tips.

39. Attend a networking event or conference that’s big in your industry. Collect at least ten business cards, and follow up with emails the next day.

40. Consider one of these creative ways to turn everyday situations into opportunities.

Get Caught in the Web

41. Check the Craigslist Community section for activities, events, and classes—and then send at least three emails today. Don’t wait.

42. Start a group at Meetup.com to connect with like-minded people, or join one that already exists.

43. Ask on Twitter if anyone can offer you tips to move forward with your dream.

44. Learn to cook one tweet at a time. @cookbook tweets entire recipes and instructions in 140 characters each.

45. Learn how to do anything that interests you on eHow, Instructables, or wikiHow.

46. Have a “friend trade” day on Facebook. Introduce your friends to one of yours, and ask them to do the same.

47. If you blog, find other bloggers in your niche and email them to introduce yourself.

48. Search WeFollow.com to find the most influential people in your niche, then initiate contact them through Twitter or email.

49. Become a host on Airbnb if you have a room to rent; it’s a great way to meet new people and earn a little extra cash!

50. Join the TinyBuddha forums to seek help and help others who need it. (Or subscribe to tinybuddha.com for more tips to live out loud!)

There’s a lot of information here—way more than you can tackle all at once. But it’s more about quality than quantity. Even just one small change can have a ripple effect into every area of your life. Of course it’s up to you to decide what’s possible.

How do you open your world to new possibilities?

About Lori Deschene

Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others to do the same. You can find her books, including Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal and Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, here and learn more about her eCourse, Recreate Your Life Story, if you’re ready to transform your life and become the person you want to be.

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Mike Shippey

Great list, Lori.

Any one of these has the capacity to change a life. With the list of 50 you have provided a challenge and opportunity for anyone to really open up their world.
For the brave…it's a year's worth of adventure. Take each one and do it for a week…imagine the possibilities! Yee haw!

Take care
MS

Lori Deschene

That's what I was thinking, Mike! That it would be great to try one a week and take it through a year. Thanks for commenting and have a beautiful day, full of possibilities. =)

Lori

pramit

One way to start anew is to let go of many things. Why must our lives be gauges by things we own. I say you start with simplifying your life.

50 great tips to help you simplify life
http://bighow.com/news/50-great-tips-to-help-yo

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carolynetaylor

I just found your site through Twitter and Moksha Yoga in Victoria following you – and I love your posts – thank you so much for all the time you are taking to write here – very inspirational and thought-provoking – I am going to add you to my blogroll on my site, hope that is okay. Carolyne

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carolynetaylor

Love #41 through #50 – just gave a presentation Networking BLISS this week – wish I'd seen this before!

carolynetaylor

Love #41 through #50 – just gave a presentation Networking BLISS this week – wish I'd seen this before!

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14sanity

My dream/goal is to learn more software so I can get a grasp on this web designing! Already great with the photoshop, but lynda.com is awesome for tutorials, and has info videos on creatives/agencies, helping me get more skills!! PLus I talk to people everywhere, living in Chicago, people are defensive so when you come across one that smiles back & strikes up a convo, kind of fun-well as long as they're not crazy ;o)
Love your posts!! Alway right on with my life!

Gaetano

We should be the masters of our lives! Whatever happens in our life we can't oppose! So let's be carefull, and put graet energy to reach what we rely want!!!

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ashna916

Thank you so much. Great list here.

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The Conscious Life

Thanks for the inspiration, Lori! I like the name card idea and will want to act on it soon. I’d also like to find a mentor and mentor someone in return. Talking to strangers while waiting in line isn’t something I’m ready though. I’ll probably give someone a shock as Asians are still quite a shy lot. This article of yours reminds me of one of my stories on the conscious life. You may want to take a look. 🙂 Cheers.

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abhilasha

Hey Lori , awesome leanings. To just add to the list- 1) Spending time with young people makes one feel young too. So hang out moreoften with youngsters and look out for opportunities to make their world a better place. 2) Draw, paint,sing,dance,or do whatever comes naturally to you.3) Pray like there is no tomorrow and surrender to the divine force 🙂

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Business Energy

This is my second visit to this blog. We are starting a brand new initiative in the same niche as this blog. Your blog provided us with important information to work on. You have done a admirable job..

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breathejustbreathe

So much here! I was hooked by the quote at the top ““To get something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” I’m going to use it to prepare for 2011. Thanks so much.

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rachat de credit

Thanks a lot for sharing this list.

Lori Deschene

You are most welcome!

sante mutuelle

Thank you for sharing this article.

Lori Deschene

You are most welcome. Thank you for reading it!

credit

What a great job !! Thank you for sharing theses information.

It could be a challenge for a lot of people.

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