Do you ever look around at your life and wonder if it’s grown too narrow? It can be easy to get tunnel vision when you’re focused on building a career and other practicalities. The irony is that your career and everything else in your life is likely to improve if you broaden your horizons. Broadening means opening yourself up to risk taking, thinking bigger and embracing possibilities, so how can you do that starting today?
Make Room for the Unexpected
Routines are great for self-discipline and getting things done right up until they aren’t anymore. It can be hard to put your finger on the point where your routine goes from being something that’s helping you stay on track to something that’s smothering you, but you know when you find yourself there. You don’t want to blow up everything because there are parts of it that are probably working for you, so injecting something unexpected into your days can help.
Try learning something new, picking up a new language or sport. Do something fun. For example, you could sign up for a subscription box. A snack subscription box offers new snacks from around the world every month, so you can get a taste of Japan or France or South Africa without having to leave home. Sign up to get something interesting monthly immediately, with no waiting for build dates and you can receive quickly.
Start a Business
You don’t have to leave the security of your job right away or ever, but why not get cracking on that business idea that you have? In fact, the best time to do it is when you’re still employed because the risk to you is much lower. You don’t have to worry about making a salary, and you can weather some loss for a while. Still not sure you’re ready to take the leap? Take a class or two in entrepreneurship, or join a local organization for entrepreneurs.
Get into Investing
Getting into investing can take up as much or as little time as you want, and it can open up a lot of possibilities for you, especially if you turn out to be good at it. Start with money you can afford to lose and look around at what appeals to you. The learning curve for cryptocurrency is much less steep than it once was. There are many different apps that can help you get started, some of which will gamify it for you while you get your feet wet. They can also help you if you’re looking for moderately low-risk investments.
Take a Trip
Few things are as broadening as travel. Go somewhere where you don’t speak the language. Even better, get off the beaten tourist track. Walk down a street that isn’t in your guidebook. Look for the restaurant that the locals are going to. Use an app or–if you’re feeling old fashioned–a phrasebook to talk to locals. Notice how things are done differently compared to back home, and rather than feeling annoyed about it, embrace it. Even if you can only get away for a week, you’ll be surprised at how much your perspective can shift in that time.
