How can enriching experiences help you to upgrade your life?
EXPERIENCE.
One word with a multitude of facets, different characters, and an unlimited choice of outcomes.
I wish I had known the positive side of “experiencing” sooner, but it wasn’t until I was thirty-one that I intentionally immersed myself in an experience that ultimately transformed my life. As a single, divorced woman with one suitcase, a backpack containing a camera and laptop, a one-way ticket, and only three thousand dollars in my bank account, I embarked on a solo journey abroad. With limited Spanish skills, I traveled around Spain for a month, eventually ending my trip in Cancun, Mexico, where I stayed for the next nine years. This enriching experience was the culmination of several years of personal growth and other challenging yet nourishing experiences.
It’s never too late or too early to have an enriching experience. Our backgrounds and cultural values shape the types of experiences we need at different stages of life. Yet, one thing remains constant: we all need to experience because it is the core of action—the essence of life.
Listen to my podcast “Trust the Dress”, the episode “How enriching experiences can help you feel happier and inspired.” Just press the Play button below.
What is Experience?
The meaning of “experience” (verb):
- The process of living through an event or series of events.
- Practical contact with and observation of facts or events; an activity one has performed.
I understand “experience” as an active and conscious process of doing something.
Research by Amit Kumar, Assistant Professor of Marketing and Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, shows that investing money in experiences rather than possessions makes people much happier. Kumar holds a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Cornell University and an A.B. in Psychology and Economics from Harvard University. His findings were published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
In the context of a “Fine Art Lifestyle,” experiences can include: visiting museums (like the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York) or theatres, exploring galleries, appreciating classical art, educating oneself, participating in art studios (painting, theatre, pottery, sewing, etc.), purchasing art, developing personal style, maintaining an organized home, workplace, and mind, practicing visibility, staying mindful, and engaging in other activities that offer an elevated, positive vibration.
It’s never too late or too early to have an enriching experience. Our backgrounds and cultural values shape the experiences we need at different points in life. However, one thing remains constant: we all need to experience because it is the core of action—this is life.
What is an enriching Experience?
To enrich means to improve or enhance the quality or value of something, to add beauty, or to make something richer, especially by adding or increasing a desirable quality, attribute, or ingredient.
An enriching experience is one undertaken with firm intention.
An enriching experience is an active process that you live through in reality. In contrast, a “borrowed experience” occurs when, for example, you watch a YouTube video of a travel blogger and perceive it as if you had been traveling yourself.
Do you want to upgrade your life? Activate your growth mindset by focusing on what you experience daily. Improve the quality and sometimes even the central theme of your experiences. By doing this, you stimulate neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of experience.
“Today, we define prosperity, being wealthy, we think it’s great to be able to pay people to do things, and be more automated and maybe just sit in our chair and press buttons. But I don’t think that’s the way our brains define prosperity. The richest scenario is a scenario in which a brain is an active player. When we engage in an experience, we are using certain areas of our brains, and if they are used in association frequently, they will build what we call neural networks. And so, you become more proficient and more efficient with these behaviors. But newly formed mental natural pathways are fragile, so repetition and practice are essential for a new brain map.” Kelly Lambert, behavioral neuroscience, University of Richmond.
Enriching experiences are meant to enhance the quality of your life – upgrade it.
Here are some stories from my personal life experience to better illustrate how it works.
In 2005, I graduated from Saint Petersburg University of Culture and Art with a Master’s Degree in Art. Unsure of how to apply my degree, I changed jobs several times over the next two years. By 2007, after extensive research and journaling, I discovered my passion for photography. I always carried my compact camera with me, capturing moments at every gathering with friends.
Soon after, I began learning the technical aspects of photography and upgraded from a compact Nikon Coolpix to a professional Nikon D70. This shift to exploring the artistic side of photography had a profound positive impact on my personal life. Previously, I saw myself merely as a merchandiser working in a store (similar to Walmart).
This new passion set me on a path to becoming a professional photographer and artist. It required a significant change in my environment, so I redesigned the room where I lived with my first ex-husband. As I elevated my photography skills and started my own solopreneur photo business, I made a more crucial upgrade—leaving an abusive relationship. This transformation led to incredible personal growth and a deep sense of happiness.
My International Experience
In 2009, I began working at the Holiday Inn in Saint Petersburg, a city known for attracting many international tourists. Having lived and studied there for eleven years, I was excited about the opportunity. However, I faced several challenges initially, particularly with speaking English. Despite learning the language since I was five, I had limited speaking practice. Working at the hotel, first at the reception and later as a concierge, significantly improved my English and exposed me to international tourism.
Interacting with people from around the world broadened my perspective on life. I realized there are countless opportunities beyond my familiar surroundings and that the world is too vast and exciting to remain in one city. This experience made me yearn for more from life and ultimately led to a transformative travel experience in 2013.
I use the term “revolutionary” to convey the profound impact of these realizations. Born in the former Soviet Union, where dreaming of traveling abroad was viewed as inappropriate and almost traitorous, this shift in thinking represented a departure from my past and opened new horizons for me.
My Solo Travel Experience
I didn’t know how to travel solo until I tried it for myself. I had no idea how to find the best airplane tickets or book hotels until I did it on my own. I discovered how much courage I had only after traveling solo and moving to a new country. Through this journey, I rediscovered myself. My story would not have been possible without the truly enriching experience of traveling alone.
Experience Fashion and Style
Clothes are an essential part of our identity. There’s a difference between buying clothes on sale and thoughtfully combining items from your wardrobe to create an elegant look. For instance, during my healing process after my second divorce, I used elegant dresses to shift my self-perception—from feeling like a “female dude” to embracing my identity as an elegant, independent, feminine woman.
Enriching experiences are those that push you out of your comfort zone and foster personal growth. They go beyond the mundane, with diversity being a key element in making these experiences truly valuable.
What are "Fine Art Lifestyle" experiences?
I use “Fine Art Lifestyle” to encompass activities and experiences that can ultimately enhance and upgrade your life.
External experiences that can help elevate your life include:
- Visiting museums
- Exploring galleries
- Attending theatre, opera, or ballet performances
- Walking around the city, paying attention to architecture, and finding interesting details in buildings
- Spending more time with positive people
- Investing in healthy food
- Exercising regularly and increasing your walking
- Trying yoga and meditation
- Learning a new language
- Traveling to a country where you don’t speak the language
- Taking painting classes, learning to play a musical instrument, and engaging in creative activities like making art, music, or sewing
- Paying attention to the interior design of your home
- Enhancing your environment (home and, if possible, work) with elements that boost enthusiasm
- Incorporating vibrant colors into your wardrobe (black and white aren’t the only stylish options)
- Experimenting with different colors, textures, and styles in your clothing, using Pinterest for inspiration
- Adding colorful dresses or shirts to your wardrobe to boost self-confidence
- Dressing up for yourself at home, not just at work. Practice matching different clothing items and avoid defaulting to black pants or a simple grey or blue dress. Be intentional about combining various wardrobe pieces.
Internal experiences that can help upgrade your life include:
- Quit complaining
- Smile and laugh more
- Avoid gossiping or putting others down
- Practice mindfulness
- Focus on deep, slow breathing
- Regularly ask yourself, “What do I want?”
- Let go of the need to control everything
- Before agreeing to something, ask yourself, “Do I really want to do this?” rather than just trying to be agreeable
- Practice “Power Poses” as described in Amy Cuddy’s book, Presence
How can enriching experiences help you boost self-esteem?
Self-esteem is the confidence and satisfaction you have in yourself, reflecting your overall opinion of your abilities and limitations. Healthy self-esteem helps you feel good about yourself and see yourself as deserving of others’ respect.
For many years, I struggled with low self-esteem. Looking back, I see a younger version of myself who doubted her abilities and felt inferior to others. The constant comparison to others was a painful and futile struggle, as there will always be people who have something you don’t or who have experienced things you haven’t.
Since my healing journey after my second divorce, I adopted an affirmation that has been transformative: “The only person I compare myself to is the person I was yesterday.” This approach has been very effective for me.
So, how can enriching experiences help boost self-esteem?
Enriching experiences involve doing things you initially thought you were incapable of achieving.
During my first divorce, I was plagued by countless low-vibrational thoughts that kept me trapped in fear. Questions like, “What if I can’t pay the rent? What if I get fired? What if no one wants my photography services? What if I don’t meet a good partner in the future? What if I made a mistake? What if I should have stayed with him because he was familiar? What if something happens to me when I’m alone and there’s no one to help?” and many more “What ifs” dominated my mind.
But guess what happened? My fears proved to be baseless.
I managed to pay my rent and even save money. I traveled, lived healthily and happily on my own, read extensively, and conducted photo sessions. I enjoyed an active social life, visiting museums, galleries, the theatre, and ballet. I also donated several boxes of black clothes from my marriage and refreshed my wardrobe with colorful pieces.
I doubted my ability to live on my own, but I succeeded. This experience was a significant boost to my self-esteem.
Magic happens when you take action!
Your body needs to experience things to convince your mind that you can achieve and deserve much more.
To make positive changes, you need to act.
It starts with a small, brave thought, and with the right environment and consistent reinforcement, it grows into a strong belief and actionable experience.
Here’s how enriching experiences can upgrade your life:
- Elevate Your Self-Esteem: Engaging in new experiences can boost your confidence and self-worth.
- Bring Positive Vibes: Novelty, when applied harmoniously across different areas of life, creates good energy.
- Gain New Perspectives: Enriching experiences offer fresh viewpoints on life and reveal what’s available beyond your usual surroundings.
- Clarify Your Goals and Mission: These experiences help you define your goals and personal mission more clearly.
- Embrace Diversity: Differences enrich our experiences and help us grow.
- Encourage Change: Repeating the same actions and expecting different results is futile. Enriching experiences highlight areas where you can make changes for better outcomes.
- Revitalize Motivation: New experiences can reignite your drive and enthusiasm.
- Move Beyond Survival Mode: Art and enriching experiences show that life has more to offer than just getting by.
- Find Beauty Within: True beauty starts from within. The richer your experiences, the more beauty you’ll feel inside.
- Nourish Your True Self: Enriching experiences are essential for nurturing and discovering your authentic self.
You can’t change your life by passively watching videos on social media.
You need real action.
Dream big and act on those dreams.
You don’t become a traveler by watching travel bloggers—you become one by experiencing it yourself.
Believe you can achieve your goals, take action, and you’ll upgrade your life!
Visit my fine art photo print shop
-
- Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Peony Dreams III
Price range: $89.00 through $1,199.00 -
- Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Peony Dreams II
Price range: $89.00 through $1,199.00 -
- Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Peony Dreams I
Price range: $89.00 through $1,199.00
