Stories and
Articles
Daily
Challenges
by Jennifer J. Anthony
I like to look at life as a
series of daily tests. I don’t mean the
examinations that are imposed upon us, like that
freakishly hard math test or the skills test at the
end of a unit in P.E. I’m talking about little
challenges I make up for myself to test my boundaries
and dip a trembling toe in the waters outside my
comfort zone. Challenges that help me find out more
about who I really am, and evolve.
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| Jennifer smiles after skydiving! |
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One of the biggest challenges
I’ve given myself was tandem sky diving two
years ago. This little adventure tested a variety of
fears: fear of heights (acrophobia), fear of dying
(thanatophobia), fear of landing on a very mad dairy
cow (don’t know the name). But it also forced
me to put my trust in someone else like I know
I’ve never have done before, and to try
something absolutely new.
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 You
may or may not be good with each little
adventure, but this, too, is a learning
experience – in humility and
perseverance. 
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Of course not every challenge is this extreme. I
couldn’t mentally or physically afford to go
skydiving every day (although trapeze school in San
Francisco was cheaper…). Some feats involve
tackling new skills, like working to increase my
vocabulary and growing my own vegetable garden this
summer. Others involve character: trying to be more
Zen, finding ways to do more volunteering, and being
a good friend.
Chances are if you’re reading this website,
you’ve tried your share of different sports or
activities in life. You probably live for adventure
and test yourself every day, too. You can save
skydiving for later, but how about a new sport or
activity– one that you’ve avoided
because (insert excuses here)? Trying out something
different will broaden your horizons and help you
meet new people. You may or may not be good with each
little adventure, but this, too, is a learning
experience – in humility and perseverance.
One website that I love to visit when the ideas
start to run a little dry is 43 Things
(http://www.43things.com/). The website’s
motto is “What do you want to do with your
life?” Because the list is compiled by users,
all of whom have different life experiences, it is
eclectic, zany, and fun. Some of the items are
personal challenges, like “be a better
person” or “learn to take my own
advice.” Some are new sports, such as scuba
diving, parasailing, and belly dancing. Others, like
“audition for a play” or “sing
in public”, appear to be tests of personal
comfort zones. Others are life skills: “finish
writing my novel”, “learn to drive a
stick-shift”, and “knit a
sweater”. For every undertaking, there is a
community of people who have done it, and people who
have yet to try.
Whether it’s a new sport or a new activity,
the list – and your own metamorphosis –
awaits you.
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