Experience!

Number two on the Words for 2009 list is experience. I'm not talking about the things that have been done in the past, but getting out and participating in new things. Have new and different experiences.

The pace at which most of us seem to move these days is fast and hectic. In fact, the two week holiday break seemed to come and go in the blink of an eye. With this fast pace comes a tendency to fall into a routine. At the end of a long day, habit will send us to eat at one of four or five restaurants we frequent. Or when the weekend comes and we are tired and want to relax, its easier to choose activities we are comfortable with and are familiar with.

While these restaurants and activities are fine, they don't add to our lives (because they are already there!). There is a place in life for the "new" and fun. We just have to take the time and the effort to go out and experience those new things. Rich and diverse experiences lead to a rich and diverse life. New experiences help us grow and see the world through new eyes. New people to add to your network of friends, new activities and events give you something new to talk about with others, new thoughts stimulate new ideas.

Add one new experience a week - it will make a difference. I saw a familiar and fitting quote again, just yesterday, "I don't regret the things I have done, I regret the things I didn't do." Keep that in mind as you move through 2009.

What new experience will you have this week?