Whenever I share my latest WOW! Moment, either on my blog or in person with a friend, I often get one of three reactions:

1. You’re always doing fun things!
2. I’d love to do fun things like you!
3. Invite me to join you the next time you’re going to do fun things!

These reactions are so affirming. It also makes me happy when people reach out and share their own WOW! Moments. And if they say that something I’ve done inspired them, I’m ecstatic.

Here’s the thing: There is nothing different about me. (Well, my sister calls me “Baby Hands” due to my dainty fingers, so there is that.) But I am not particularly brave, adventurous, or even daring. I guess the only thing that has made a difference is that I know these two things:

1. Life is short
2. So, do fun stuff for chrissakes!

 

I understand it can be hard to know where to start. Here’s my best advice.

Make a list of all the crazy things you want to do. It doesn’t matter how ridiculous it may sound. I want to ride a Zamboni during an NHL game. Trust me, whatever you dream up will be fine. Write it down. Keep revisiting and revising your list. For example, I’m considering adding “Throw my underwear onstage at a Tom Jones concert.” 

Then get out the calendar and pencil in fun stuff. Don’t wait for inspiration to strike. Do it now. Before you chicken out or find an excuse or decide it’s dumb. That reminds me, I need to take my own advice and get that Predators game scheduled.

That’s it. That’s all it takes.

The first WOW! Moment can be intimidating, but I promise you that each one gets easier to do. It’s like building a muscle. Start small. You don’t need to skydive right out of the gate. (Unless you want to. Then, “YAY, you!”) I remember how nervous I was to go to a class at the Frist Art Museum in Nashville on my own. I reflect on that version of Stephanie and I’m proud of see how far she’s/I’ve come. A couple of months later, I was flying to Paris. All. By. Myself.

If it helps your confidence, go with a friend. My sister is my partner in crime on a lot of my WOWs. You could also find a WOW! accountability buddy who will hold you to your plans. Share your list of things with them and commit to a date for doing them. 

But (and this is a big but) don’t wait for someone to go with you. My son Nick is my inspiration for this. He does lots of things on his own. Not because he doesn’t have friends—he has plenty—but because he doesn’t want to wait for someone else’s schedule to align with his. So, he’s taken sailing lessons and gone to a comedy club and a cage fight all solo. I love his confidence and channel him when I need a little push. The great thing about being on your own is that you can do exactly what you want to do without compromise. 

Once you get into a WOW! routine, it will become second nature. You’ll start choosing unusual things to do, attend, or eat without thought. And then you will be the person who hears the comments, “You always do fun things. I’d love to do fun things like you. Invite me to join you the next time you’re going to do fun things.”

Starting your own WOW! Moment project is really about starting to live an unforgettable life. To quote the great philosopher Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic: “I did it all. I owned every second that this world could give. I saw so many places, the things that I did. Yeah, with every broken bone. I swear I lived.” At my age, I prefer to skip the broken bone part. A broken nail might be OK, though. 

BTW: The song “I Lived” has an amazing backstory. You can hear about it and watch the music video here.

So, there you go. Now … go!! What WOW! Moment are you going to do next?