#11: My First Time

It happened on my 12th birthday. Not everyone owned a CD player at the time. But you were definitely one of the «cool kids on the block» if you bought a music CD in Liechtenstein’s one and only music store: TREFF!

I would have been too afraid to go there on my own. But two friends of mine said that I could choose a CD as my birthday present. I felt brave. My mum wasn’t overly impressed by my bold move, although she certainly felt the urge to invest into a CD player at some point. And so she did the following year. Keep in mind that this was 1984. You didn’t just order online nor did you pay by credit card. The purchase of a CD player was indeed an investment.

I picked Purple Rain by Prince. Why? Not that I could remember. On the other hand, I went for a real «classic». An artist and a song that is still being listened to after 36 years.

A first-time experience is special and hard to forget. Isn’t that the same for all of us?

First time on holiday by plane? 1986

First salary? April 1988

Kissing my wife for the first time? November 4, 1989

Birth of our first child? 2001

First espresso? 2017

First tiramisu? I wish I remembered…

What is it about those first-time experiences?

They are often the start of something new.

They take bravery and embolden you.

You take risks as you might fail.

You want to share them.

They break your routine.

They might challenge your beliefs.

They give you a new perspective.

The good thing is that it isn’t hard to create a new first-time experience. A few of the easy ones that come to mind:

1. Get into a conversation with a stranger.

2. Take a new route to work.

3. Explore one of your concerns in a new way.

4. Try a new food or recipe.

5. If you tend to rush, take the time for a pause.

Opportunities are plentiful. Stay curious by picking a new one every now and then.