Stepping Outside the Box

We all have our comfort zones. I confess. I can be pretty bad. If I can’t win something, if I’m not good at it, I usually won’t participate. I’m competitive and I hate to lose. This is why I don’t do tennis and rarely do bowling. But, at least I know because I tried it.

But…

Trying something new is important. It’s exciting. It can be such a rush. Energizing. Envigorating.

Which is what I did this weekend. Although I can sing and write, I’ve always thought art was outside of my wheelhouse. And then, for one of my closest friends’ birthday, she decided to book a painting party at this place called Painting With a Twist.

Because we had a bigger group we got to use our own private room AND pick our painting. They supplied us with music, a teacher, smocks, easels, paints, and paint brushes. We got to bring our own wine and munchies.

The teacher walked us through the painting process step by step. This is my base. We were supposed to make the backdrop a streaky gray. My inner rebel came out & I added a touch of magenta to give it a bit of my personality.

  

As you can tell, I started to get really into the process….

Next step was coloring in the feather. Turns out I either don’t take direction well or I need to dance to the beat of my own drummer because whenever she’d tell us what color she wanted us to use next, I went with the opposite.

But, I think my feather turned out pretty well, and I was finding the process to be interesting and a challenge. I painted, chatted, and sang along to the music they had playing.

  
This particular creative process was never one I thought I’d be any good at, but I was doing pretty well…

And then came the dreaded birds. They almost did me in… Can you see how serious I got?   

In fact, our whole group got pretty hard core… Determined not to be done in by the birds. This time, I tried it the instructor’s way. It didn’t work for me. Until she helped me touch one of my birds up and I found my own way.

  
By the time I was done it felt like I’d really accomplished something. Something I never knew I could. And it felt good! 

  

Not bad for an amateur, huh? 

What I’m saying is that this was a great reminder of why it’s so important to try something new. Something outside of your comfort zone.

When was the last time you did something you’ve never tried before? What was it? Did you have fun?

10 thoughts on “Stepping Outside the Box”

  1. jansenschmidt says:
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    It turned out very nice for your first time.

    I tried something like this as well when a friend of mine surprised me for my birthday. I thought, “we’re going to paint?” But then I said to myself, “Today you are a painter and you will paint.” From that point on, it was fun. I didn’t care what my masterpiece looked like, I had a blast spending time with my friend, trying something new.

    Kudos to you for getting out there and trying something new.

    Patricia Rickrode
    w/a Jansen Schmidt

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Coleen Patrick says:
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    Nice!! I just recently started trying writing for an even younger audience. While I’ve been writing YA, and some middle grade, I’ve been compiling ideas for picture books. Writing a pic book is definitely a challenge for me, but I’m having fun.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Fat Bottom Girl says:
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    This weekend I texturized my mom’s kitchen walls. It was the first time I’d ever tried, and I have to say it turned out pretty good. There’s definitely a trick to it, and no matter how many youtube videos you watch, you just have to jump in and do it! I guess that’s the way it is with most things though.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Professor Taboo says:
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    “When was the last time you did something you’ve never tried before? What was it? Did you have fun?”

    Should I answer that question in full detail, full candor? 😈

    Umm, yes. Had MUCH FUN. “Permanent” raving memories were had! LOL

    Liked by 1 person

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