The one thing I wanted most when I was little was to be grown up. I thought once I was grown up, I could do anything I wanted. Which is only partially true. Now that I am an adult, I realize being a grown-up means you get up, eat, go to work, come home, eat, and go back to sleep. It is this endless boring cycle, if you don’t break out of it soon, you will have no motivation to be spontaneous anymore.
There are all those movies and the idea that as a young adult, you are finding yourself, going out on adventures all of the time, traveling the world, learning everything. But with expectations from family and even yourself, we start to fall into that boring routine every day too soon in life. We shouldn’t be acting like we’re forty and our lives are pretty much set in stone.
I feel like I have to learn how to be spontaneous, so while I write this, I am also taking notes. Many people are able to break out of that routine and their shells to go be spontaneous, but if you are like me and don’t even know where to start, here are twenty tips that will us to be more spontaneous.
When it comes to being more spontaneous, it is okay to start small, just like everything else. Don’t just jump into something you are not comfortable with unless of course, you are the type of person to cannonball into the pool without testing it first. Maybe being spontaneous just isn’t something you like and you realize how much you like your routine. That is okay, but you won’t know until you try something small.
The more and more you be spontaneous, the bigger and better your spontaneity gets. Not only that but as you become more spontaneous, your confidence levels will definitely rise higher and higher and one day, you will look back at your routine life and laugh at how ridiculous it all felt.
Like I said before, to be spontaneous, it is definitely okay to start small and that is the same with this. Maybe that new thing is getting a different coffee order on your way to work or take the scenic route home. And one day, maybe it will be more like having spontaneous photo shoots in your home with friends or taking a spontaneous trip to the beach. You will feel more comfortable being spontaneous as time goes on.
When it comes to being spontaneous, it gives you a some excuse to be a little selfish. Something I’ve had to learn as I’ve grown up is doing what I want and not what I think others want me to do. I’ve always struggled with the thought of disappointing people, but after having some conversations with my loved ones, I have been told to evaluate all of my decisions. If I want something, then I should ask myself, is this something that will truly benefit me?
Obviously, don’t do anything that will only give you happiness for five minutes, but decide to do something that will always make you happy and help you feel like you can be spontaneous. Getting a tattoo is something that I was so worried about when it came to disappointing my parents, but after I actually got it, I have always been happy looking at it because it makes me feel like I can be spontaneous with more things in my life.
This is another small step for you to be spontaneous. When it comes to routines, it is hard to get out of them, and sometimes having no routine can make us feel restless. I, for one, thrive off of routines. When I feel like I am not in control of something, I start to freak out a bit. If you need a routine, that is totally okay. To be spontaneous, you can shake that routine up a bit every once in a while to feel like you are doing something different.
To be spontaneous, you kind of have to get over the fear of rejection. That is something I battle constantly. But, as I said earlier, being more spontaneous will help you become more confident with time and that fear of rejection won’t feel so paralyzing. So, go ask your crush out, create a new friendship with your coworker. Don’t be afraid to try with others and activities because you’ll regret not trying later on.
I am a huge planner. I like to feel like I am in control of what I do and how I do it, so I plan. I make lists and I mark things down on the calendar. I also like the feeling of looking forward to something. It helps me get through the boring days.
You can be spontaneous while also being a planner of things. With such busy work and school schedules, it can almost be impossible to be truly spontaneous. So, don’t feel like planning kills the whole spontaneous things. It doesn’t, it just means you are more prepared for the adventure!
Have you ever really sat down and had a conversation with your parents or grandparents about themselves? I haven’t really tried to get to know my family members because I’ve grown up with them and I thought that is getting to know them. But I have never sat down and asked my dad about his childhood.
Getting to know your friends and family will help you get to know yourself. It will create a deeper connection between you and them and a feeling of trust goes a long way when you are spontaneous with other people as well.
There are so many interesting people in this world that you don’t know, yet. The next time you are on a train, or a bus, or a plane, turn to the person next to you and start a conversation. To be spontaneous, you have to get out of your shell a little bit. Ask this person how their day is going. Maybe they aren’t doing so well that day and you can make them feel a little bit better.
When in doubt, don’t doubt yourself. Go with your gut feeling on things and just try to go with the flow. If you start to doubt yourself, you will tell yourself you cannot do something and then you don’t do it. This will put you right back into that consistent cycle that you were trying to get out of. To be spontaneous means to not doubt yourself. Go swim in the rain even though it will be cold and you don’t want people to see you. You will end up regretting it if you don’t.
Being spontaneous means being in the moment, and social media and the internet and TV take you out of the moment. I am not saying you have to stay off forever, but once you actually are off the gadgets, you start to notice the small things in life. Things that will make you think about the beauty of life and I tell you it is an amazing feeling. Just try it for one day and see how you feel at the end.
Going along with the previous tip, go explore those small things as well as the large ones. Go hike up a mountain and just stare at the view for a while. Notice all of the lights that blink. The sounds of cars passing each other. Think about all of the people in those cars and what their lives might be like. Notice the little ladybug on the blade of grass and how it has many purposes even though it so small.
A great way to be spontaneous is to write down the things you explored and saw after it all happened. Whenever you start to feel like you are losing your spontaneity, go back and read what you wrote to remind you how it felt and to get you out again.
Have you ever seen the movie Yes Man with Jim Carrey? Okay, so be like that but not extreme. That movie is hella inspiring as Jim Carrey is introduced to so many new things because he just can’t say no. Of course, say no to things that you know won’t do you any good, but say yes to new opportunities. Try even if you think you might fail.
Gardening may not seem like a great way to be spontaneous, but it is about the growth of gardening that is amazing and spontaneous. Keep a garden box and with each year, you’ll notice things start to grow that you didn’t even plant. With this garden, you are growing yourself as well which is a major part of being spontaneous.
There are just some people in our lives that can be time-wasters when we really think about it. To be spontaneous, you have no time for the time-wasters. Sit down to really think about your relationship with these certain people and weigh out whether they are toxic or not for you. If they are, then it is kind of a waste of time to try and fix a relationship that will always be broken. Make time for those who are true to your relationship and that you know will never waste your time.
One of my favorite things about the idea of being spontaneous is being curious and wondering about things. It is always good to ask questions. Growing your knowledge and understanding of things is a huge way of feeling more confident and more comfortable as a human.
Take a friend and go stargazing. Someplace dark so you can actually see the expansive sky. Notice just how many stars are out there and know that space is constantly growing. Start to ask the big questions with your buddy and be curious about all of the wonders of this amazing world.
You will hear from a lot of people to travel while you are young. I would love to, but of course, some things are just too expensive as a young adult. Traveling helps if you want to be spontaneous, but you do not have to do it right now. Traveling while you are young is a wonderful experience that will open you up to so many different cultures and ideas, but it can also be super overwhelming.
When you are older, you will have a better understanding of things, you will probably have some more money saved up, and you can have these trips planned. I have heard amazing stories from people who decided to travel when they were older. It worked so much better for them. I am not saying do either or, but they are both great options when it comes to being spontaneous.
To be spontaneous to have inspiration from other people and things. Go to an art show and see just what beauty is created by others. Listen to a live band at that small coffee shop. Experience different lifestyles of others. Not only will this help you feel like you are being spontaneous, but it will inspire you to create. These kinds of things will show you a different perspective on life.
To be spontaneous, you have to push yourself. Like I said before, you have to kind of get out of your shell to truly be spontaneous. Go out with your friends even though you wanted to stay in. Jump out of that airplane, dive off that cliff. Apply for that job. No matter how big or how small, you have to push yourself to see what your limits are and to know just how strong you can be.
To truly be spontaneous, you have to connect with yourself. Yes, this means a lot of alone time, which I can’t stand, but it is good to get to know who you are. Go out on a solo walk and just think about yourself. You will begin to realize how smart you are, how you can always make yourself laugh, what a kind person you are. It will make you love yourself and feel a lot more confident which will help you be way more spontaneous.
I saved the cliche for last! Take that road trip, my friend. It all starts there. Try to do it with a road map instead of google maps. Turn your stereo up really loud and sing horribly. Roll your windows all the way down and let that wind create a bird’s nest on your head. Road trips are a great way to feel like you are being spontaneous, especially with friends. Anything can happen on the road!
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