Adapting to new things
Adapt to the new and leave things behind is hard. We tend to stick to what we know, because it feels safe and comfortable. We want things to be as they always have been.
But I think instead what this does is to keep us from evolving. I have experimented a lot lately. Experimenting how to try to adapt to new things the best way possible.
When I try to adapt to new things it is usually based on the concept that I need to get rid of something, I need to reduce. I usually have this urge to feel lighter, and that ‘something’ is holding me back. Either it takes too much of my time and doesn’t give me anything, or there is a much better way to do it that I don’t know of yet. When I realize this I need to start experimenting. The first step is to begin thinking about the actual existence of that ‘something’. Why is it there to begin with? This can for example be a program on my computer, an app on my phone, or a physical object that I possess.
If I find out that I use a thing only because I’ve always used it and don’t really know why, then I have a bad answer. I need to start imagine my life without it. When I’m in a situation like this I usually keep the thing for a while but in my mind I’ve already let go. This is a way for me to test if I don’t need it anymore. When realizing my life will be better without it, I trash it with good consciousness.
If I instead find out that I use something because it truly is beneficial for me, I’ll experiment to see if I can streamline the experience even more. For instance, I have found that keeping a diary is good for me, it keeps track on who I am. I have used Evernote since what feels like the beginning of time and I love it, it truly is an awesome product. Another app that I’ve been using very frequently is Day One, where I have this gorgeous journal that encourages me to write down my thoughts every day. On top of that, since I am in the Apple ecosystem, I have the default Notes application as well. So the hard question I finally asked myself was, do I really need Evernote?
It was a terrifying thought at first, I mean I’ve used Evernote for so long and it feels like a really good friend of mine. I started to investigate what kind of things I used Evernote for and found out that it was mainly for some lists, random thoughts and personal credentials.
My thoughts and journal writing should go into Day One so I have everything in the same place. Thanks to Apple I also have the default Notes application where I can store lists and other things I need to remember. All of a sudden it just hit me, Evernote was no longer needed. It had become superfluous. So I removed it. I got one less thing to manage and I felt a little bit lighter. To reach this goal I didn’t even had to cut down on functionality at all. I just needed to change a habit of mine. This was a way for me to streamline things I used even further.
I find this approach to adapt to new things very practical. It opens up your mind to the new and in the same way it keeps you focused. The most basic rule is to question yourself and your decisions, just because you’ve done the same thing over and over for the last couple of years doesn’t mean it’s the best way to do it today.