trying new things

welcome to introspection ft. harsehaj! ⭐️ i’m harsehaj, an 18 y/o always up to something in social good x tech.

this publication is a place for me to reflect on productivity, health and tech, and drop unique opportunities in the space right to your inbox daily. if you’re new here, sign up to tune in! 💌 

btw, feel free to reply with topic ideas you want me to write about for future posts.

onto today’s topic: trying new things 🪄

i have been freed from school this year, and it feels like that child-like wonder and desire to explore new things has returned. not just researching new things and trying new projects, but actually widening my palette for what life has to offer.

the world is so big, and there’s so much to do.

why should i let the fear of failure stop me from soaking it all in?

as kids, we would flit between hobbies and create our own adventure maps. growing up, those maps slowly became singular paths, and on these paths if you couldn’t excel at something, it wasn’t worth keeping around or practicing. 🗺️ 

even if i suck at something, why can’t i keep doing it anyways? i’m not trying to be the next picasso, i just enjoy trying out new, random crafts. it’s fun.

if that doesn’t feel “productive” enough, there’s something to learn from each experience as well as the journey leading up to it. just in 3 weeks, i’ve crossed out 1/3 of the items on my bucket list, and have learned so much more about myself. how i enjoy working best, how to navigate my social battery, my physical limits, my ability to cook, my affinity for community building, and countless other realizations.

staying away from new things limits this potential for learning.

i’ve been wanting to get even more intentional about trying new things frequently, so i actually have a weekly call with yogya where we tell each other the new thing we’re trying for the week, and keep each other accountable for it the next time we chat. 📞 

i tried bouldering today for the first time, and my perception of rock climbing being solely based on upper body strength was shattered. momentum is so powerful in climbing, and that’s true for a lot of things in life. even if others around you seem to have a head start at life, momentum and your ability to accelerate your own growth will be a superpower.

try new things! even if you might suck at it. humans naturally enjoy exploration, so don’t deprive yourself of it.

what will you try next?

daily opportunity + resource drops 🔍️