Try Something New

As children, we have such open eyes and innocent, untainted views of the world. Full of curiosity, hope, trust, and a thirst to fill our brains, we seek out new connections constantly.
It's only after we've begun making connections with those that have an agenda that negatively reaches into our own world do we start building a defense and skeptical stance when encountering new people. Once we've gone through our first big heartbreak, been betrayed by a close friend, known a close friend that simply drifted away (which can feel like betrayal), learn of evil deeds done by those who assume positions of power, and witness malicious thoughts in action do we no longer feel that the world is such a wonder filled and safe place for us to be and that we should always be cautious.
There is wisdom in caution, that can't be denied. Being completely open to anything that comes our way with reckless abandon can cause much pain to us and those around us as well as lessen our own self value when we begin to wonder what it is about ourselves that would provoke such treatment from others. Convicted predators will even say that they find themselves drawn to people who exude the meek, victim persona.
So going about life with care and caution is warranted. What is not warranted, in my opinion, is to close one's self off to new experiences, new connections, or venturing out of our established comfort zone. Comfort Schmumfort. Dig in and get your hands dirty. If you want to wear kid gloves, that's your prerogative, but it's so much better for us to experience life genuinely and organically, make mistakes, learn from them, embrace what makes us grow and toughen ourselves to what doesn't. How will you know if you really and truly don’t like it if you never try? How did you develop the little bubble you live in now? You had to have tried something new at some point, right? What tainted that experience for you? Are you ok with not experiencing these new things? What would the You from 30 years from now think?
If meeting someone new, doing something new, or something you've avoided for any extended period of time makes you feel uncomfortable, don't immediately dismiss it. Analyze it. Use your mind and heart to interpret it. Would you rather live in fear and avoid these experiences or know that you tried it out and learned from it?
I have friends who are completely fine with their current roster of experiences and it doesn’t bother them whatsoever that they’re not venturing out into something new. Not that the life they live holds no excitement or a complete shutdown to ALL things new. Honestly, everyone’s different so who am I to try to force them into changing what’s comfortable to them. It’s something for me to adjust to merely to accept that they’re doing just fine as is. I love them anyway! To each his or her own, I suppose, but it’s certainly something for both of us to think about.