Episode Transcript
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Harkaren (00:03):
Hello everyone and
welcome to Balance Baby, the
podcast designed to help youconsistently show up as the best
version of yourself.
My name is Harkaren and I'll beyour host.
I'll be here every week sharingstories and teaching you
techniques to prioritize theonly thing we have any control
(00:25):
over in this world ourselves.
When was the last time you didsomething for the first time?
Earlier this year, my bestfriend and I were chatting and
the topic of cold plunges cameup.
I was saying how I don'tunderstand the hype of it and I
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have no desire to be cold.
She said that I should put myfeelings aside and give it a try
, because how often do we get totry new things in our 30s?
That got me thinking.
My initial reaction was to sayno, because historically I hated
being cold and I assumed Iwouldn't enjoy the experience.
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Maybe a part of me thought Icouldn't do it and wanted to
save myself the embarrassment.
But that's a fixed mindset.
People with a fixed mindsettend to avoid challenges because
they're afraid of failing orlooking bad.
They might give up easily whenthings get tough because they
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think they'll never get better.
Instead of seeing mistakes asopportunities to learn, they see
them as proof that they're notgood enough.
Basically, a fixed mindsetholds you back from reaching
your full potential becauseyou're too focused on staying in
your comfort zone and avoidinganything that might make you
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feel uncomfortable or unsure ofyourself.
When you stick to what you knowand avoid trying new things,
you miss out on so manyopportunities.
You might feel like you're justgoing through the motions
without really challengingyourself or experiencing new
things, and, while staying inyour comfort zone might feel
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comfortable in the short term,in the long run it can lead to
you feeling stuck or stagnant,like you're not really moving
forward in life.
On the other hand, having agrowth mindset means believing
that you can get better atthings with practice and effort.
It's like saying I might not begood at this now, but I can
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learn and improve if I keeptrying.
When you have a growth mindset,you're not afraid of challenges
.
You see them instead asopportunities to learn and grow.
Even when things get tough oryou make mistakes, you keep
going because you know that'show you get better.
People with a growth mindsetalso enjoy learning new things.
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They're curious and they'realways looking for ways to
improve, and they celebrate theprogress they make, even if it's
small.
They know that every stepforward is a step closer to
reaching their goals.
Having a growth mindset canhelp you in a lot of ways, like
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making you stronger and moreresilient.
Instead of giving up whenthings get hard, you keep
pushing through and becauseyou're always learning and
improving, you can achieve morethan you ever thought possible.
Ever thought possible.
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Trying new things can have a bigimpact on making you a better
version of yourself in lots ofways.
First off, when you trysomething new, you're
challenging yourself andstepping out of your comfort
zone, which can lead to allkinds of new skills and
experiences.
Plus, it keeps thingsinteresting and exciting in your
life, preventing boredom andmaking you feel more fulfilled.
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Trying new things also buildsconfidence.
Even if you're not great atsomething right away, just
giving it a shot and seeingyourself improve over time can
give you a real boost ofconfidence.
And, lastly, it helps you stayopen-minded and flexible.
When you're willing to try newthings, you're more open to new
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ideas and experiences, which canlead to opportunities for
growth and happiness.
Research findings and expertinsights consistently highlight
the benefits of engaging in newexperiences for enhancing
overall well-being and personaldevelopment.
Psychologists agree thatdiversity in experiences
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contributes to emotionalresilience and greater life
satisfaction.
A study published in theJournal of Personality and
Social Psychology found thatpeople who actively seek out new
experiences tend to be moreopen-minded and creative.
Dr Art Markman, a cognitivescientist, explains that novel
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experiences stimulate the brainand promote neural growth,
leading to enhanced cognitivefunction.
This suggests that exposingyourself to new activities and
challenges can foster cognitiveflexibility and problem-solving
skills.
People who regularly seek outnew experiences are generally
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more confident and self-assured.
They become comfortable withuncertainty and adaptability,
which cultivates resilience andself-confidence.
When it comes to trying newthings, many of us face common
barriers that hold us back.
Many of us face common barriersthat hold us back.
Fear is a big one fear of theunknown, fear of failure or even
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a fear of looking dumb.
It's totally normal to feelnervous when you're stepping
into something new, but if welet fear take over, it can keep
us stuck right where we are.
It's natural to feel scaredwhen you're stepping into
uncharted territory, but lettingfear control us will only keep
us in our comfort zones, neverwilling to try anything
different.
Self-doubt is another bigbarrier.
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We might worry that we're notgood enough or that we'll make a
fool of ourselves, but it'simportant to remember that
everyone starts as a beginnerand the only way to get better
is by starting.
And let's not forget aboutinertia the tendency to stick to
our usual routines, even ifthey're not making us happy.
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It's easy to get stuck in a rut, doing the same old thing day
after day, but breaking out ofthat routine and trying
something new might be just whatyou need to shake things up and
find some excitement again.
Many of us are creatures ofhabit and we have a tendency to
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stick with what's familiar, evenwhen it's not what we truly
want.
Overcoming resistance andfinding the courage to try new
things can be difficult, butthere are some practical
strategies that can help make ita bit easier.
First of all, start small.
Instead of diving headfirstinto something totally
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unfamiliar, try dipping yourtoes in first.
Take small steps outside ofyour comfort zone.
Take small steps outside ofyour comfort zone.
This can help build yourconfidence and show you that
trying new things isn't as scaryas it seems.
Another strategy is to focus onthe benefits Instead of getting
caught up in the what-ifs andworst-case scenarios.
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Remind yourself of why you wantto try something new in the
first place.
Maybe it's to learn a new skill.
Maybe it's to meet new people,or maybe it's to prove to
yourself that you can.
By keeping your eye on theprize, you can stay motivated
and push through any fears ordoubts that come up.
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And don't forget to remindyourself that it's okay to feel
nervous or unsure, but you'recapable of handling whatever
comes your way, and if thingsdon't go perfectly the first
time, that's okay too.
Every new experience is achance to learn and grow, so be
kind to yourself and giveyourself credit for trying.
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Kind to yourself and giveyourself credit for trying.
There's something truly specialabout the anticipation and
excitement that comes withtrying something for the very
first time.
You get a rush of adrenalinethat fills you with a sense of
adventure.
When you try out new activities, you start to uncover parts of
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yourself that you might not haveknown existed, like hidden
talents or passions.
Maybe you try painting andrealize you have a natural gift
for it, or you take up gardeningand find out that you have a
green thumb.
These experiences help youunderstand yourself better and
figure out what really makes youhappy.
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Trying new things also helpsyou stay present in the moment.
When you're engaged in a newexperience, you're fully focused
on what's happening right now.
This mindfulness and presencecan help you feel more connected
to the world around you, andthe experience of overcoming
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limiting beliefs feels likebreaking free from invisible
chains that have been holdingyou back.
You start to see that maybethose beliefs aren't true after
all and that you're capable ofway more than you thought.
When you break through barriersand limiting beliefs, you
realize that the only thingholding you back was your own
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mindset.
If I look back at the last sixmonths of my life, I've actually
tried a lot of new things.
Six months ago, I wasbackpacking in Europe for seven
weeks.
I had never backpacked before,I had never stayed in hostels
before, I had never traveled forseven consecutive weeks before
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and I had never ventured so farfrom home on my own.
I went to cities I had neverseen before and had experiences
that were all new to me.
And had experiences that wereall new to me.
I conquered mountains,literally and figuratively.
That trip will always hold aspecial place in my heart and I
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still need to tell you all aboutit, but for now I'll say that
taking that trip made me loveand appreciate myself in a way I
never had before.
Not only was I proud of myselffor planning and executing such
an epic trip, I was so proud ofwhat I was discovering about
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myself.
Through navigating unfamiliarstreets and overcoming
unexpected challenges, I gaineda newfound love and appreciation
for who I am.
I cultivated this unbreakabletrust in myself and a
realization that, no matter whatlife throws my way, I've got
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what it takes to handle it.
I came back feeling moreconfident in myself and more
aligned with my higher self thanever before, and when I got
back I got to work on my podcast.
It's funny how things fall intoplace sometimes.
A seed that had been plantedbefore my trip was given the
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opportunity to sprout and growwhile I was gone, given the
opportunity to sprout and growwhile I was gone.
By the time I got back, I had anotebook full of ideas and
inspiration.
I got to work on picking a nameand creating a logo.
I released my trailer a monthafter I got back and there's
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been no looking back since then.
Podcasting just feels right.
I get to use my voice in a waythat's meaningful and authentic
to me.
I get to help people by sharingwhat I've spent so much time
learning and by vulnerablysharing my life stories I never
would have discovered thispassion if I hadn't taken the
leap to try something new.
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But it's not just the big stuff.
I'm also mindful of the smallernew things I've tried, like
seeing my favorite NBA playerlive in action.
I still remember the awe andadmiration I felt and
discovering the inner calm thatcame from trying a sound bath
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meditation for the first time.
I loved the sensation of thesound and energy traveling
through my body.
And most recently I tried thedreaded cold plunge.
The thought of voluntarilysubjecting myself to freezing
cold water used to send shiversdown my spine.
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But you know what?
There's something extra specialabout pushing yourself to try
something you really don't wantto do, because once you conquer
it, you feel like you can takeon the world.
It's like a massive power trip.
You realize that you're capableof so much more than you
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thought.
I took the plunge in twodifferent settings.
The first time I did it was ata biohacking center.
I had a private room wherethere was a cold plunge tub and
an infrared sauna.
Despite my initial hesitation,I took a deep breath, took the
plunge and it wasn't as bad as Ithought it would be.
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To my surprise, I was able tofocus on my breath and stay
comfortably inside the tub forover 5 minutes.
On my first try, I thought thecold temperatures would make me
tense up, but actually it causedme to relax.
The cold temperatures wouldmake me tense up, but actually
it caused me to relax.
I had some stiffness in my neckprior to starting and I was
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able to move my neck more freelywhen I was submerged in the
cold water.
Obviously my body was reactingto the temperatures.
I started shaking and my teethwere chattering, but I was able
to warm up quickly in the saunabefore diving right back in.
I quickly realized it was mindover matter.
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The second time was outdoors, ina glacier-fed river.
It was significantly colderthan the tub and I was anxious
about staying too cold once Igot out of the river.
But once again, to my surprise,this was a far superior
experience.
In fact, it was invigorating.
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The water was so cold.
This time I submerged my wholehead and body into the water and
experience the hyperventilatingshock response that so many
beginners have.
I stayed in the water whilefocusing on my breathing and the
strangest thing happened I nolonger felt cold.
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It was like my body went numbOnce I was fully out of the
water.
I half expected to freeze,especially with my wet hair, but
to my amazement I felt nothing.
No chattering teeth, no shivers, just a surge of energy
coursing through me, a type ofenergy I had never felt before.
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The feeling of accomplishmentafterwards was completely worth
it, and now the cold justdoesn't bother me like it used
to.
It's like I rewired my brain toembrace discomfort rather than
shy away from it.
The rush of energy and clarityI felt afterwards is like
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nothing I've experienced, andnow I know where to go when I
want to feel that again.
So don't be afraid to trysomething new.
It might just change your lifefor the better.
Thank you so much for tuning into my third episode of season
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two.
Next time you have theopportunity to try something new
, I urge you to say yes.
It's incredible how a simpledecision to step out of your
comfort zone can lead to suchprofound personal evolution.
Out of your comfort zone canlead to such profound personal
evolution.
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When we challenge ourselves andembrace the unknown, we open
ourselves up to endlesspossibilities for learning,
growth and fulfillment.
Adopting a growth mindset hasbeen instrumental in my own
journey by shifting myperspective from one of fear and
self-doubt to one of curiosityand resilience.
I've been able to overcomeobstacles and tap into reserves
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of strength I never knew I had,and the rewards have been
immeasurable Greater confidence,deeper self-awareness and a
renewed enthusiasm towards life.
Send me a DM on Instagram atbalancebabypodcast and let me
know when was the last time youdid something for the first time
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?
What new experiences arewaiting for you, ready to expand
your horizons and unlock yourfull potential?
Don't let fear or self-doubthold you back.
When you embrace the unknown,you'll be ready to tackle new
challenges and new experienceswith confidence and courage.
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I'll be back next Wednesday forepisode four.
Together here, we're creating acommunity of beautiful souls
ready to uplift each other,ready to experience all the joy
that this life has to offer us.
And don't forget life is allabout balance, baby.