2. You figure out what you like and don’t like

Figuring out what you like and don’t like is a valuable part of trying new things. After all, when something is new to you, you don’t really know how to feel about it. It’s only by trying it that you’ll really understand it.

I tend to take the pessimistic route in life: I always think I won’t like something so that’s what makes trying new things challenging for me. But I’ve learned to appreciate the experience of trying something new — even if I don’t like it, I get valuable information on whether that activity is something I would want to do again.

Take, for instance, my concert experience I mentioned above. I had no idea what a floor experience at a concert entailed. I was shocked and hated it. But if I hadn’t gone through that experience, then I wouldn’t know better. Now that I know, I will choose to stay in the stands for my next concert.

3. Patience is needed

Having patience is something I’ve always struggled with. Especially living in a society when we get everything delivered to us in an instant, it’s hard to wait for things. But patience is a necessary ingredient in learning new skills.

Patience will definitely come in handy when I continue playing my ukulele — that one’s obvious — but it was, in fact, part of each one of my new experiences. For instance, I had to wait a while for the concert to start being fun and for Cardi to come out. Also, it took me like 30 times to even slightly roller skate correctly. Patience was key for all of these things.

The truth is, venturing out of your comfort zone is going to be frustrating. Yes, I wish I could just get everything right the first time. But I know once I do get it, it will feel very rewarding. Learning something new will always take time. But with patience, I’ll get it, and I’ll reap the long-term rewards.