Try, Try Again

For those of you on Facebook, you probably saw a quote I posted earlier today by Ralph Waldo Emerson.  It goes like this: "All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better."

It's one of those quotes that, unless you sit back and read it again and again, you can read through without thinking about its true meaning.  Therefore, I figure there's no time like the present to use this space to reflect on a quote that I think many of us can resonate with.

Now, I know I'm certainly no philospher, but here are some of the ways I look at that sentiment:

• Life is meant to be tested.  Try different things.  Don't sit back and wait for things to come your way - go and out and sample them all.  Try, try, and try different things over and over.  We're lucky to be here, so we might as well test as many waters as possible. During college, I did this with every different internship I went after.  During my professional career, I've done this with every different story subject I've tackled and every different marketing strategy I've employed.  That's not to say I can't be more creative at times or more open to new viewpoints, but I try - as often as possible - to keep testing different ideas and immersing myself in new situations.
• The more people you surround yourself with, the more understanding and appreciation you'll have for the truly loyal people in your life.  I've been blessed to have a lot of people around me - from friends and family members to colleagues and former classmates.  Opening my life up to so many groups of diverse people has helped me narrow down the people with whom I truly trust and enjoy being around more so than any others.  While I still make it a point to spend time with many people, I always know who has my back.  That's important and vital to a person's well-being (or at least I think it is).
• See what's just over the horizon.  Sometimes there are so many new things or places to sample, that we get overwhelmed.  Make it a habit at least once a week to try a new restaurant, read a new book or watch a new TV show.  Over the weekend, I sampled some immpeccable cuisine at a restaurant near my house that's been open for several months and I walked away in complete satisfaction.  Had I stuck to the normal eatiers I frequent, I might never have sampled the tastiest pasta dish I've had in a long time.

While I don't think I have to preach anyone, I will leave with just one more thought:  None of us are perfect, but I do believe in this life we let ourselves get too satisfied with our lives and don't always reach for more.  That's a thought that scares me and it's one that I vehemently fight against on a weekly, if not daily basis.