In 2011, I made the only New Year’s Resolution I have ever kept. I decided to try 52 new experiences, one for each week of the year. After going through a painful divorce in 2010 and spending most of that year curled up in a ball, I was ready to embrace life again in 2011. I vowed to try 52 new things. I put no parameters on my goal. I simply needed to try something I had never done before. I started by going to a Buddhist Meditation Group. In the weeks that followed, I tried everything from Afghan Cuisine to pole dancing to parasailing. This resolution didn’t seem like a chore at all. It was fun and exhilarating. The year flew by, and I didn’t want to stop trying new things. For 2012, I have tweaked my original resolution. This year I have promised to try 52 new experiences with my children. Many of the new experiences won’t be new for me; however, this year’s focus is on enjoying time with my kids. Children already have a sense of wonder about the world. I want my kids to retain that sense of wonder, experience life like the miracle it is, and have fun while we are at it!
The purpose of this blog is not only to share our new experiences but to inspire others to get out of their comfort zone and try something new each week. I hope you’ll share some of the new experiences you’ve tried after reading about ours.
52 Brand New 
Great blog! I’m challenging myself to do one new thing every week this year as well, so it’s inspiring to see others out there who are doing/have done the same thing. Hope you don’t mind me stealing some of your ideas!
Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much! You are going to have a fantastic year! I am glad you have found some inspiration here!
This is a wonderful idea!! I’m going to, umm, ‘steal’ this for 2014. Resolutions are usually such a pain. Not this one 🙂
Glad you like the idea! Keep in touch and let me know how the resolution goes!
Trick or Treat! I nominated you for The Most Creative Blogger Award! See my blog for more details! http://sincerelykaterz.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/trick-or-treat/
Thanks so much! When I get a free minute, I will look into the details!
Hi, I’ve been following your blog for quite some time, and I’m truly inspired by you. While for myself I always have new things to embark in, I feel that I have been offering less new experiences for 1.5 y.o. my son – and time is always the excuse. I love your idea, and I am starting a 52-week challenge too, for my son, I’m pretty sure this will greatly help me to plan and do things intentionally with him.
Keep it up – and please continue inspiring people! Thanks a lot.
Thank you so much! I am glad you have found inspiration on 52 Brand New. I’d love to hear about the new things you try! Perhaps you’d be interesting in writing about one of them here.
Just found your blog- very cool!
Thank you!!!
I love this concept!
Thank you so much!
Anytime!
Inspirational way to cope with life changing issues. I look forward to following you and future adventures. I should take this up, how to incorporate our mission into the theme of ’52 Brand New’ my family are downsizing with a goal in mind to simplify our life. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your kind words. I hope you find the blog inspirational as you simplify your life!
Such a cool idea & interesting blog! 🙂
Thank you so much!
I absolutely love this!!! What an exhilarating year,after looking through everything you’ve tried! I bet it is really fun to come up with new experiences:). I may have to copy your idea:).
Thanks so much, Becky! I’d be flattered if you copied my idea!
Really glad I stumbled upon you today. I tend to get overly ambitious and then run out of steam on inspirational ideas such as this. So I will commit to trying 12 new things in 2013 ~ one a month. If I do more . . . YAY! Thank you for a fun goal. This will be my only resolution for the New Year (besides including lots of kayaking). ~~~Paddle~~~Drift~~~Repeat~~~
Cyndi, so glad you found my blog. I’d love to hear about the experiences you try this year! Be sure to stop back and share them!
Oh, curses. And I walk into the experiment at no. #51…..never mind! I shall backtrack. Thanks for such an imaginative, wonderful idea.
We’re doing ANOTHER 52 new experiences in 2013. Hope you’ll join us!
That’s good news. Just added you to my favourites gallery on my beloved Mac. Great blog.
I REALLY Like this idea. I will take your “52 Brand new” to the next level and have this concept help me be a better grandpa.
Thanks so much!!! I am glad I inspired you. You’ll have to let me know what you and your grandchildren try!
I am so glad that I refound your blog today because I have been thinking about doing something similar. I am going to be 55 next year and I want to do 55 outrageous things. Why? Because I am not thrilled to be 55 since I am not where I wanted to be by then. Overweight, divorced (badly), financially so-so, etc.
i am hoping these “things” will help me see the world, myself, and others in a new way, and know the wonder of it all.
Anyway, thanks for the inspiration.
Sounds like a fabulous idea! I think you WILL be thrilled to be 55 if you are able to accomplish so many outrageous things. Trying 52 new experiences really got me out of a rut. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done!
What an original goal you set for yourself! I am glad to hear that you are trying so many new things out. I love yoga… I don’t have a family but I started practising it at school with my students. I teach Italian so half way through the lesson, I teach them a few postures so that they can stretch and get a few fresh ideas…
Thanks! It was an ambitious goal, but it has been so much fun!
Yoga is a great way to take a “brain break”!
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Hello Danielle,
Bravo on your development into a lovely woman, a concientious parent and an educator! I am so proud of you! Keep it up and I will follow and share with you as well! LOVE Corinne
Love this idea. Glad to see you have taken a difficult experience and taken the blessing from it to create such a powerful existence for yourself and your children! I am passionate about raising fearless kids, you have taken it to another level-awesome. I look forward to challenging myself and my readers to creating a similar experience for our children. I can imagine the confidence and can-do attitude your children will have. Much respect to you. Cheers!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I do believe my children will benefit from all of the experiences we try. I just hope they enjoy them, too!
I read thru your blog and found it to be awesome!!! great going! loved your post :New Experience #10: A Taste of India…..I am from India and I have my blog running on recipes for kids! ….hope you find something interesting for your little ones! would love to hear from you.
Dipika
Thank you!!! I will definitely take a look at your blog and see what we can make!
I’ve been wanting to do this. I have experienced a lot of different things in life but there is so much more to discover~
I just love what you are doing here. Kids are truly the wonder in life and to take hold and embrace it this way is just amazing. You are such an inspiration. Thank you!
Thank you so much! I am so glad you find my blog inspirational. Means so much to me!
Good for you! I recently started doing the same thing with my son!
Just found this, and got excited with the idea! May I copy it, too? 🙂
Absolutely! I am glad I inspired you. Check back later this week. I am going to start a series in which guests may post about their new experiences. I hope you’ll consider contributing!
This is a FANTASTIC blog idea. And if you don’t mind, I’m going to copy your life now. Great, great idea. It’s so awesome that you could turn a painful experience into something so amazing. Inspiring.
Thank you so much! I am glad I inspired you. Hope you enjoy trying new experiences this year. Let me know what you try!
Wow! Are we on the same wavelength or what? This is so great, and there will be so many amazing memories for your kids. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings for you all. 🙂
Yes, we are! We should definitely compare notes at the end of the year!
As someone who has gone through very difficult times (divorce and child with cancer), I applaud your accomplishing 52 new things in a year. As you may remember, I complete one item on my bucket list each year and have done so for the past 5 years (I don’t know how you get the time and the energy to do 52!). I wonder what 2012 will bring? Keep it up!
Erin