Time #1 – Discovery – “Discoveries keep our minds sharp.”
Discovery occurs when you learn something new about a person, place, thing, or situation.
Vampire bats are real. They suck the blood of sleeping animals, such as cattle and pigs; and are a vector for the spread of rabies. They are found mainly in Central and South America.
Unless you’re a bat enthusiast, you probably learned something new when you read the passage above. You have just experienced what I call discovery.
Some examples of discovery:
You find out that your teacher’s name is Lisa.
You find out your son is gay.
The innocent girl in the movie you’re watching suddenly pulls out a bloody ax from inside her petticoat.
You order something new from a menu. After your first bite, you find you don’t like it.
Watch a nature show and learn about loggerhead turtles.
What you discover may be a minor piece of information (your spouse forgot to take the laundry to the cleaners) or a life-changing event (you receive a phone call informing you that your mother has passed away). Each and every discovery we make keeps us thinking and processing information. Discoveries keep our minds sharp. You can sit back and let life throw discoveries at you or you can go out and make some discoveries on your own. It doesn’t take much to get a few discoveries every day.
Discovery in a relationship: do you know everything there is to know about your spouse? Talk to your partner about their past, their desires or things that distress them. However, a word of caution. Suddenly, asking questions about a person’s past can seem strange to someone who is accused of their normal way of communication. In fact, you may find that it’s easier to make discoveries about someone new in your life than it is to learn about someone you’ve known for a long time.
Discovery in Books: Endless discoveries lie before you at your local library or even on the Internet. You can focus a few minutes a day on the Internet and find out all sorts of things about current events, history, or even the intricacies of a celebrity’s life.
Discovery in movies – Watching a movie is a whole process of discovery. From the opening credits to the final scene, you are constantly learning about the characters and the situations that are presented to you. A great movie will captivate you from start to finish and will have insights cleverly placed within the plot to keep you guessing what the outcome will be. The next time you watch a movie, pay close attention to the information presented to you. A well made movie will have multiple discoveries in each scene.
Discovery while driving: Most of us drive the same way to work every day. I say change your way. Take a freeway instead of side streets. Take side streets instead of a freeway. Turn left instead of right. Go the long way. Park a few blocks from work and walk the rest of the way. Break your routine. Let the discovery of new buildings, cars, streets, etc. get into your mind I guarantee that the first day you drive a new road to work you will be more focused on driving; and you will be more in the now than you have been in a long time.
Discovery in a new relationship: When we become romantically involved with a new partner, it is inevitable that we will experience a multitude of discoveries within the first few months of meeting this person. We discover the habits, strengths and weaknesses of our partner. We learn the insecurities and hobbies of this person. We find out what makes this person laugh and what makes them angry. We learn which restaurants our partner prefers and what kind of food our partner enjoys. While you are learning all these things, your partner is also learning about you. In fact, the first few months of a new relationship are always exciting. Not only do you have countless discoveries about each other, but if you take the time to experience new things together, both of you will share a discovery as a couple. However, once the discoveries are fewer and far between (at least as far as learning from each other is concerned), you start to find out if your compatibility level is high enough to survive without the added benefit of constant discovery.
Restaurant Discovery – Try a new restaurant. Or, the next time you go to your favorite restaurant, sit somewhere you would never normally sit. If the thought of sitting at the counter at your favorite coffee shop makes you uncomfortable, be sure to sit there the next time you go. You will discover a whole new perspective in the same place you have been visiting for years.
If you feel stuck in a routine and find daily life a bit monotonous, try mixing up your lifestyle and actively seeking discovery.
Take the bus to work.
Visit an art gallery.
The next time you’re in a public place, sit or stand somewhere that would otherwise make you feel uncomfortable for whatever reason. Immerse yourself in the new perspective, even if it bothers you.
Hit the gym at a different time of day or join a new gym altogether.
Find a 24 hour restaurant and go eat there at 3 am
Rent a really nice car, one you can’t afford to buy. Or better yet, rent a wrecked vehicle where you won’t get caught driving dead.
Visit a place where English is not the main language and learn what it is like to be a foreigner.
Listen to a new radio station.
Learn how to make a gourmet dinner.
Discoveries are everywhere, waiting for us to experience them. However, the more experienced we are in life, the less sticky our discoveries will have.
When we are children, all we see is a great discovery. Child life is a great discovery. When we have children, life’s discoveries are revisited as our children begin to grow. Only as we get older do the discoveries become less frequent and less significant. At that point in life, it becomes our responsibility to seek them out for ourselves.
The next part of this series of articles is titled How to improve your quality of life using the Seven Moments – Moment #2
“This is a multi-part article with excerpts directly from my book Life: The Seven Moments That Really Matter. Enjoy. – Christian Blake.”