Why You Should Live An “Experimental” Life

Be Curious But Unattached

Photo by Andrew Spencer on Unsplash

It was six minutes of intense soul-searching. And then I made the decision. I plopped down a tidy sum of money on high-quality CBD oil. I heard that it helps with sleep and insomnia issues. I’m not sure if it’s true or hype. I’ve heard all sorts of rumors about its effects ranging from simple pain relief to telekinesis powers.

I’m just hoping it improves my sleep. Anything else would be a nice bonus. If it doesn’t work, then I’ll chalk it up to another failed experiment.

The Experimenter’s Outlook

I suffered from low grade, but persistent anxiety for much of my life. It was a fear of the unknown that caused much of the suffering. I tried several different self-help techniques and benefited much from journaling.

I also desired to improve my well-being in areas of health, fitness, mental ability, and peace of mind. I like to try new things to achieve these objectives.

These two goals, a need to reduce anxiety and a desire to improve, fueled my evolution into the experimenter’s mentality.

Approaching your life as a series of experiments makes you more open to trying new things. It frees you from the anxiety of the unknown outcome.

This mentality opens you up to more first-time experiences. Firsts are always exciting, even if they’re a bit nerve-racking: first date, first time off to college, first day at a new job. There’s a sense of hope and optimism that accompanies each experience.

In the past year, I’ve executed on several dozen experiments. Most of these have been changes to my daily routine, new habits and practices. Most cost little to no money. There are a few embarrassing exceptions.

I invested in a sound therapy machine eight months ago. I won’t reveal the ridiculous sum of money wasted on that contraption. The device now collects dust. You’ll see from a sample list below, most of my experiments aren’t risky, adventurous or in any way illegal.

But if that’s what comes to mind when you think of the experimenter’s life, then you are missing…