On April 5th it’s Go For Broke Day! To go for broke is to risk everything. Based loosely on the way shooters risk everything on a roll of the dice at the crap table, the phrase was adopted by the 442nd Infantry Regiment during the Second World War. Their unit motto “Go for Broke” spurred the unit’s victory at Seravezza, Italy in 1945.
Read Related: 15 Reasons to Challenge Yourself Every Day
Consider today a chance to broaden your horizons, and move past the boundaries of what seems comfortable. You don’t have to storm the beaches at dawn to make a change. Here are a few suggestions to crack the shell of your comfort zone, put yourself out there and face life head on!
1. Take a dance class. No one was born with two left feet. You won’t be perfect the first time either. But the first time it clicks and you feel yourself gliding across a dance floor, you’ll be in heaven.
2. Wear super bright fuchsia lipstick. You don’t want to look like everyone else, do you? Look like you. Pick a color, put it on and smile.
3. Skip makeup for a day and go au natural. It’s hard to be honest with yourself, let alone those you see on a daily basis. Try this: wash your face, put on a good quality sunscreen and take a walk. We guarantee no one is going to laugh and point.
4. Take on a new responsibility at work. It’s easy to stay secure in our own little world. Branch beyond the edge of your cubicle and volunteer to do something more. It doesn’t have to be major leap forward, just a tiny step to begin with.
5. Try out for a play. The first time out you won’t be the lead and you may not have to speak at all. You’ll have fun, meet new people and maybe work your way up to a speaking part in the next production.
6. Sing a capella at karaoke night. We’ve all done it, most likely in various stages of inebriation. Find a song you know, let everyone loosen up and then go for it. We guarantee you won’t be the worst they’ve ever seen.
7. Learn a language. How many times would be a real plus to say a few words in another language? Buy a language learning program or better yet, sign up for a class at the local college and make friends along the way.
8. Try speed dating. It’s quick; you’ll meet a lot of people and its first names only. You might not meet the man of your dreams but then again, who knows?
9. Start a conversation with a stranger. Try this at Starbucks or waiting in line at the cafeteria at work. Be smart about it; it’s one thing to make a friendly comment, another altogether to come across as creepy.
10. Go for a drive with no particular destination in mind. Gas up the car, pack a lunch and take off for the lake. Or the park? Who knows? Our lives are over planned as it is. Do something with no particular destination in mind and enjoy the ride.
11. Try a cuisine you’ve never had before. Not for a life time, just for a meal. Pick something that sounds interesting and have lunch. If you don’t like it, there’s lots of stuff to try next.
12. Volunteer for something you’ve never done before. There are lots of organizations that will welcome your help, skilled or not. You’ll do something good for others and learn something new yourself.
13. Be creative. Try a craft or teach yourself a skill that you didn’t have before. Craft stores teach basic handiwork skills. Adult education classes teach sketching or watercolors or creative writing.
14. Take a walk in the rain with no umbrella. We spend our whole lives being careful. Do something that isn’t responsible and stodgy. Despite what your abuela says, no one ever died from getting their hair wet in the rain.
15. Start a conversation with that cute guy on the elevator. You see him every day; you’ve exchanged smiles…so quit waiting for him to make the first overture. We’re not promising love and romance but who knows, maybe he’s been waiting to broaden his comfort zone too, and will suggest you get a coffee together!
