via Health.com

This week I took my first ever yoga class.

It had reached a point of shame. I figured I must be the only woman in my zip code who had never tried yoga. Not a single class. Ever. Not one.

I’d always been intrigued. Ok, that’s a lie. At first it seemed silly, yet another trend. But then SO many people I knew were doing yoga, sticking with it for years, and seemingly passionate about it.

Maybe they were on to something and I was just too blind to see it?

There was another problem, though, once I got over the mental resistance. I could see from every movie or TV show with a little bit of yoga in it that there was a bit of up and down and a fair amount getting on one’s knees. And I was just in no condition to do that.

Fast forward to this week.

First my barre class and then my Pilates fusion class had been canceled at my gym. I really wanted some kind of quiet stretching class.

Not ready for this pose—YET. (via yoga.com)

I’m not really sure what happened to get me from that to walking in to the yoga class, but I did.

And reader, I loved it. Loved. Could not WAIT until the next one.

And if that weren’t enough, I did a SECOND crazy and unexpected new thing this week. It was not one I fell in love with, but still. I did it, it was good to try, and now I’ve done it.

And then it struck me—not to pat myself on the back or anything, but I was taking risks.

That’s something I’ve tried doing too with my clothes.

What’s the worst that could happen!? (Via advanced.style)

You know how when you’re in middle school, you have to wear Socially Sanctioned Outfits? Or else you might become an outcast, what what could be worse than that?

If you wear the wrong two colors together or wear a belt when no one else is … horrors!

As adults, we don’t usually face the same consequences over the risks we take.

Yet we’re reluctant to take those risks. We stick with what we know, what we know well—the tried and true.

We wear THAT blouse with THOSE pants.

And then we do it again. And again.

Flower in your hair? Sure, why not?! (via advanced.style)

Sure, we might go out and buy and different (yet pretty much the same) blouse and mix things up a little by wearing that instead. But though it’s different, it’s still the same.

So how about REALLY busting out and taking some risks? Challenge you to find a new silhouette or new color or pattern pairing and wear it out of your house.

Truly, what is the worst that could happen?

Fuschia + black + lime. Try it at home! (via advanced.style)

When you’ve crossed a line from the creative into the territory of wacky and not-you, you’ll know. You’ll feel it in your gut. Trust your instincts. And allow yourself to venture just a tiny bit out of your comfort zone.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Study the pros. Here’s just one source of inspiration.
2. Study nature. Mother Nature mixes colors like a boss. Take a page out of her playbook.
3. Trust your own eyes. Sure, it’s great to get an expert opinion, but also allow yourself to trust your own eyes. Love how you feel in something? Then go with it. (Not to beat a dead horse, but: what’s the worst that could happen?!)
4. Take a look at home design trends. New color and print combinations in home design may also work well in your outfits. (Look at fabric and carpets specifically.)
5. Pick and choose. See something you kind of like but it’s a little over the top? No problem. See if you can imitate it on a smaller scale—take what you like and leave the rest.
6. Pay attention to feedback—with reservation. Get compliments? Time for a repeat! No compliments? That’s fine. Keep trying, experimenting, and recording the results you particularly like. Your friends may just not be keeping up with your advanced and risk-embracing self. 🙂

Graphic T + dressy skirt + casual/dressy shoes—Try it! (via alltheprettybirds.com)