Do something for the first time…again!
When was the last time you did something for the first time? As I was listening to the radio one day, this very question was asked in the Darius Rucker song “For the First Time”. From the moment we are born we experience firsts almost daily. Our first smile, our first gibberish words, the first time we rolled over, the first time we crawled, our first steps, our first day of kindergarten and hundreds of other firsts. As we move through adulthood, we still have many firsts, the first day at a new job, first paycheck, first promotion, and on and on. As life passes it seems that we have fewer first times and more last times.
I have reflected on this thought of doing something for the first time for a few years now and most recently has bubbled over as my wife and I care for our aging parents and see decline in their daily activities. We see many more last times with our parents with almost no first times. I have seen my father deteriorate by dementia. Watching a loved one’s mind deteriorate from this disease is difficult and heartbreaking. We helplessly stand by and watch a smart, active, creative and quick-witted person lose those traits and abilities.
As we age our abilities change, perhaps we are no longer able to run a marathon due to muscle degradation, our fine motor skills can become shaky and prevent us from doing certain hobbies or maybe our cognitive abilities are slipping, and we have a hard time doing simple tasks. As we age, some things we enjoy doing are not possible and those things slip away, and unfortunately often don’t get replaced. However, this isn’t always the case. We often hear stories of people in their 90’s or even over 100 years of age doing something for the first time.
Doing something for the first time might mean you are trying a new hobby, a new experience like skydiving or even a new career. All this means that we are opening ourselves to something new that will open our eyes to a wider life experience. Every life experience adds to who we are and how we see and treat others.
Moving into the second half of my life I am often thinking about doing things for the first time. To stay active, have a life that includes adventure, and yes, doing something for the first time. Doing something for the first time can be intimidating depending on what it is, however if you never try something new, never let yourself be open to new adventures, you will miss out on life changing firsts.
As life presents opportunity, new friends come into one’s life with abilities that exceed our own. God sets opportunities in our path so we can help others. In October of 2024 I saw an opportunity to help my nephew raise his self-esteem and confidence by leveraging his musical abilities. I had two friends who had played in bands, and I approached them with my idea regarding my nephew. I explained the mission. We all would head to Memphis Tennessee and record a few songs at Sun Studio, the birthplace of rock’n,roll. They both jumped at the opportunity. Next, I had a conversation with my nephew, who enthusiastically jumped on the band wagon too – pun intended. I set the wheels in motion and in March of 2025 we spent 5 hours making music in the very spots where legends such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and so many others changed our culture and the world. We recorded 6 songs and had an experience of a lifetime. We did something for the first time.
This is just one of the last times I did something for the first time. I encourage you to stay active and keep your mind malleable by doing things for the first time.
1. Let adventure lead you
Don’t be afraid to say yes to something new, adventure awaits! Leading with “YES” can lead to new adventures. Fear may be the thing holding you back. Fear of trying something new, fear of failure or embarrassment. Don’t let fear decide your happiness, take a chance and say “YES”.
2. It’s never too late
People often think that it’s too late to start something new and in some cases that may be true. However, often we hear news stories of people turning 100 years of age and skydiving for the first time. There are so many things that can be done for the first time as we move through life. Taking up new hobbies such as knitting, painting, woodworking or careers like real estate agent, personal trainer or tutor to name a few. How about recording artist or author?
3. Stay steadfast
It may take years to become good at something, just like walking. Babys don’t stand up on their own two feet and walk confidently across the room the first day they decide to give it a try. It takes months to find their balance, gait and cadence that is comfortable. The same thing is true when trying something for the first time. It may take time before you feel comfortable and gain knowledge that allows you to be proficient.
4. When your abilities change
I am a pilot and fly for fun and at some point, I know my abilities will change and I won’t be able to pilot a plane by myself. I love the freedom that flying gives me and the perspective of humanity and the earth from the sky. I will miss it when I can no longer fly but that doesn’t mean that I need to abandon aviation entirely. I can look for ways to stay involved in aviation through the organizations I belong to, and I can seek opportunities from other pilots to take me flying. Seek ways to replace something that you no longer can do rather than leaving void.
Finish this statement “I always wanted to…”. Now what’s holding you back from doing it!? Live life to its fullest, you may surprise yourself at what you can do, and what you can accomplish. Your first may inspire someone else to try something for the first time. Now go do something for the first time!
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.