Julia Child published Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume One, when she was 49. Arnold Schwarzenegger left Hollywood to become the governor of California at the age of 56. Colonel Sanders began running a Kentucky service station at 40. For them, it wasn’t too late to try something new.
Perhaps you are at a new stage of life and want to find yourself. The activities below may seem basic, you’ll be surprised by how many hidden opportunities they can unlock.
Extreme sport or unusual physical activity
In general, when you work on your physical fitness, the positive effects spill over to other areas of your life. Adults who get more physical activity tend to have:
- Better discipline
- Better mood
- More energy
- More fun
- Fewer problems with depression and anxiety
But you’d be surprised how many new doors will open because of a niche sport. Let’s say you take on rallycross – fast, dangerous, exciting. You’ll learn new things about yourself, continuously challenge yourself to think strategically, develop a better reaction time, and meet people you never would’ve met otherwise. If you never want your life to feel stale, an extreme or unusual sport will do it for you.
Solo traveling
Traveling solo is another challenge worth taking on. If you’re able to travel solo, even for a few days, even the act of planning is great for personal development. And then, when you get there, you won’t need to find the middle ground on where you go, what you eat, who you hang out with, etc. That level of freedom will allow you to experience the new place exactly how you want it.
As a trader, you may find it hard to switch off completely. You can take your work with you anywhere, which is a mixed blessing. If you can’t or don’t feel comfortable leaving your positions open and unsupervised, set some boundaries. Limit your trading sessions and make sure to place your stop-loss orders.
Volunteering
Volunteering allows you to connect with people whose experiences are different from yours, gives you a sense of purpose, and provides a natural sense of accomplishment.
A few ways to volunteer:
- Tutoring and mentoring
- Animal rescue and care
- Providing a service for free
- Donating and collecting supplies
- Public space cleanup
- Planting trees
Meditation
A mindful practice clears away the information overload that builds up every day as you study the charts, the news, and financial statements. It gives you new insights into yourself and the world around you.
If you’re new to meditating, keep in mind that there is no right or wrong. Any activity can be meditative if you’re fully present, and you can take as much or as little time as you want.
Journaling
Journaling is a deceptively simple but powerful tool. You learn to address your problems head-on, write down good ideas before they slip away, and step back to think about what to do.
Once again, you create your own rules. You can write in a physical journal, type in the notes app on your phone, or keep an electronic diary; you can even make audio entries if expressing yourself that way feel more comfortable.
Completing a 30-day challenge
There’s a lot to love about a four-week challenge. For one, it’s the best way to get out of a slump. You don’t view it as a lifelong change, so it doesn’t seem too daunting to commit to.
Secondly, it’s effective. A whole month of doing something consistently can make profound changes. Thirdly, it’s adaptable. 30-day challenges can be about whatever you want, and you can even set your own rules.
A few ideas for a challenge:
- 30 days of walking 10k steps
- 30 days of cooking all your meals
- 30 days of tidying up every day
- 30 days of learning a language
- 30 days of daily stretching
- 30 days of reading
Remember that things you do every day slowly but surely affect different facets of your life—finances & prosperity, business, health, physical environment, social life & romance, fun & recreation, learning, and spiritual growth. And by adopting new habits, you take back the power and can purposefully change your life.