I am someone who loves quotes. Saving them has changed over the years along with changes in my life and technology. I used to cut them out of magazines and paste them in a scrapbook, then I printed them out and added them to journals. When I started teaching, I would start each class with a PowerPoint slide highlighting “The Quote of the Day”, and now I screenshot them and add them to a photo collection on my phone!
In the past few years, I have created a book of my favorite quotes written in my very best handwriting, which, I admit, is not as pretty as it used to be, to comfort myself through life and the aging process.
The Firsts and the Lasts
Many quotes are in my head, seared into my memory, and some of them seem new each time I read them (which is somewhat concerning, but I choose to overlook it). One particularly meaningful quote was cut out from a magazine when my children were young and the days seemed to all look the same; it was by Sarah Jessica Parker who said “The firsts go away – first love, first baby, first kiss. You have to create new ones.” This seemed very important to me at the time, and now it is, maybe, more so.
As we enter our 60s and 70s, many of us have had MANY firsts and MANY lasts, some joyful and some painful. Knowing that aging brings its share of last experiences, I decided to spend my time and energy on creating more firsts for myself. I see firsts as providing me something to grow from, learn from, and look forward to. I started the One New Thing project in 2024.
Now, in my third year of challenging myself to do one new thing each week which I document with a picture and description in the Notes section of my phone, I have discovered more about myself by looking back at what I chose to do new each week. Here’s what I learned:
Not Every New Thing Is Planned
Some New Things are planned, sometimes they just unfold: our first grandson’s arrival a month early, discovering a bird nest adorned with curling ribbon, finding the perfect green pillow on clearance at HomeGoods, a woman who brought her pet monkey into the bank and let me play with him.
Not Every New Thing Is a Big Thing
It is often the little things I plan and proudly execute that bring me joy: planting red geraniums at my front door, using my stand mixer to make pasta dough, meeting my son for a pickleball lesson, and rereading a favorite book from my childhood.
Some New Things Require Effort
There are obvious new things that require long-term planning and a bit more time and effort: taking a week-long camping trip to the Utah National Parks which are in my backyard but I had never been to, breaking down a 20-mile hike into manageable day hikes, taking a beach vacation with our son and his family and in-laws, timing the sign-up for a popular class I wanted to take.
Some New Things Require Being Brave
Sometimes my new thing requires taking a deep breath and being brave: selling jewelry I’ve made, teaching a new class for our city’s parks and rec department, supporting my husband in a surgical procedure (“Spending the Night in the Hospital” with my husband was a New Thing for me), and writing this article for Sixty and Me.
What has the New Thing Project Taught Me?
So, what have I gained in the New Thing Project, and do I plan to keep it up? As I look back on my list, I am filled with awe at the gifts that life has provided me and have gained so much understanding of myself that I am committed to keeping it for at least five years.
I have found that if I am open to the New Thing. I am more focused with my time and energy. I appreciate the little things like my red geraniums. I am much more aware of my experiences like noticing the pieces of curling ribbon on the little bird’s nest which could so easily have been overlooked or forgotten.
The opportunity to turn challenges into learning experiences was demonstrated when the anesthesiologist who photographed my husband and me before his surgery commented on what good medicine our attitude provided. And finally, I have used what made it to the list as data for the future, helping me navigate what is important to me moving forward.
Let’s Chat:
What new things would you try and how long do you think you could keep such a challenge? Perhaps start with a month, a mini New Thing Project, and see where that leads you. I’d love to hear back.
