Recently, I’ve gotten lazy about having WOW! Moments. I’ve relied on my walks to deliver them to me. I hadn’t planned an adventure or pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I let them happen, celebrating them when they did.

To be clear, this is completely fine. Life doesn’t have to be a never-ending series of huge accomplishments. I still found things that WOWed me, and any WOW! has value. But I want to participate actively in my WOW! project, so I decided to do something about that. I decided to schedule some intentional WOWs into my week.

This can be easier said than done. I’m building new circles, and, at my age, it’s intimidating. I’ve found that my old life no longer fits. I’m no longer part of a couple, and that changes dynamics and fast. It was a hard realization, but it’s true, and I decided the sooner I stepped into my new life, the sooner I could keep living.

But there was a catch. I don’t know what I want my new life to be. I’m listening to the audiobook Conversations with God, and one of the passages literally stopped me in my tracks while I was out for a walk. It said,

“The deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation. You are not discovering yourself but creating yourself anew. Seek, therefore, not to find out Who You Are, seek to determine Who You Want to Be.”

WOW! Who do I want to be? WOWs can be a significant source of that creation. They are what make us feel alive. When I went on a retreat two weeks ago, I realized I want to be creative. I want to be around people who are creators and who appreciate creativity.

The knowledge created a starting point. I discovered that the public library was hosting an event to honor children’s book author Kate DiCamillo, and novelist Ann Patchett was interviewing her. The event was sold out, so I got on the waitlist. And I got in. I enjoyed being in the audience, listening to the rapport between the two women (who I’ve decided are my imaginary friends), and I loved being surrounded by people who appreciate books. I also loved seeing so many children excited to read and meet a real-life author.

A few WOWs happened during Kate’s talk. First, I learned that Ann has nicknamed her “Fluffy.” I love that. Another WOW! was when Kate asked the crowd how many people wanted to be writers, and I saw so many hands go up. I’m proud that I already am a writer because I had so admired them when I was a child, maybe not believing that I could be one. And a third WOW! was when a student asked her why she decided to focus on children’s books. She said she always thought she’d be the kind of writer who wrote essays and wore black turtlenecks. Well, my new focus with writing is essays, and this is what I wore to the talk. Her comment made me laugh out loud.

Later, I walked to a nearby Family Festival to celebrate Veteran’s Day. I was solo, but that didn’t matter. Actor Gary Sinise’s band, the Lt. Dan Band, was playing. I stood near the stage and danced. It didn’t matter that I didn’t have a partner. I enjoyed every minute of it.

I’ve decided that many WOWs happen outside of my comfort zone. It’s certainly possible to be delighted by something routine, but it’s easier for WOWs to happen when you actively change the scenery and your schedule.