Start Life Sampling

What is Life Sampling? 

Life Sampling is an idea I had about how to find my passions. Most of my life I had no idea what my hobbies were, or what really brought me joy. I have always loved food, and what is the best way to find out if you like an unfamiliar food? Sample it!

The Basics

At its core, being a Life Sampler is being a person who says "yes!" to new ideas, activities, hobbies, or interests that can bring love, joy, and inspiration to your life. 

What is the point? 

There are some people who have known their entire lives who they are at their core and what they want out of life. They have drive, passion, and know how to get where and what they want. I was not one of those people. I was a hard-worker, but a wanderer. I was always looking for something that gave a fullness to my life. I wanted to work to live, not live to work. I was lost and empty, and I didn't know what to do about it. 

The point of being a Life Sampler is to find those gold nuggets of life that give meaning to existence. 

How do you do it? 

In the simplest terms, a Life Sampler tries EVERYTHING. If I had to attribute one quality to being a life sampler, it would be bravery. Many people with anxiety and depression tend to shy away from new experiences due to some form of fear: fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear of boredom, or any other kind of fear.

There is a fine line between bravery and stupidity

 One of the best things I learned in improv was our chant before each show: "We suck and we love to fail!!" It sounds counter-intuitive, but realizing that failure is a part of life and choosing to do something anyway is a good way to push back on fear. 

Don't get me wrong, some fear is good. It is good to be afraid of alligators if you find yourself in muddy wetlands in Florida. It is good to be afraid to get into a creepy person's van, even if they say they just want to show you some puppies. 

The way I see it, there is healthy fear, and unhealthy fear. Healthy fear can keep you alive and safe. Unhealthy fear can keep you isolated, anxious, and feeling empty. 

Did I say try EVERYTHING? Yes, yes I did. Do I mean jump off a cliff if everyone else is doing it? Absolutely not. What I mean by try everything is try to be brave enough to put yourself into situations that may be a bit uncomfortable, but could possibly be super fun or helpful. 

"Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new." -BrianTracy

Get Started!

I decided to start blogging and making videos about Life Sampling to try to help people who are feeling lost, aimless, unfulfilled, and unsatisfied. Most importantly, I started for these people who want to change. Change starts from within, and no one can force you to grow. 

If you like the idea of being a Life Sampler, you just need to start somewhere! A good place to start is to make a commitment to yourself that this week you will try something new. 

Start simple: 

• Try a new food
• Meditate
• Go for a walk and take photos of what is around you
• Say "yes" to an invitation (coffee with friends, for example) (edit: this was before Covid, but we are nearing that time when we will be able to gather again! Be prepared to say yes! when it is safer!)

I suggest starting small and simple, because big changes can make a good experience feel unpleasant. I want your new beginning to be awesome and full of little wins to keep yourself motivated and upbeat.  

Growth can and should be fun! 

Now, what is your small, concrete commitment to becoming a Life Sampler? Go do it! :)