Try it. 

Anyone of a certain age will remember the Life cereal ad where the kids get Mikey to try it for the first time, even though “he hates everything.” Getting over your fear of trying something new is no easy feat, especially if you’ve convinced yourself that you hate it.

Things I Disliked.

I’ve noticed that over the years many things that I used to hate, I actually quite like now. There was a time when I only listened to top 40 radio and wouldn’t be caught dead with my dial tuned to CBC. I used to wear cargo pants and I enjoyed spending my summers in flip flops.  I hated spicy food. These tastes have changed.

Some Tastes Evolve Naturally

Some changes evolved naturally over time without much thought on my part. One day, I found myself listening to the interviews on CBC as a drove home and I forgot to change the radio back to the pop station. 

Some Tastes Need Nudging

Other changes, are ones that I intentionally want to make. I really thought I hated yellow. I know it’s silly, but I’d written it off as a colour that I could wear. But the cheerfulness of the colour was appealing to me after all the greys, greens and blues of my pandemic wardrobe. I finally convinced myself to buy something with yellow on it and now I’m a fan.

Little Changes, Big Rewards

It turns out that when I try these little changes, I usually like them. I discovered that sriracha hot sauce is actually quite tasty, and that wide-legged pants look good on short people like me.  Challenging my old assumptions of what I like, opens up a whole load of colours and tastes and experiences that I’d closed off from myself. When I do try a new thing and it’s a success, I have a little more spring in my step and more enjoyment in my day. I feel like Mikey.

What did you once hate but now like?

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