"Hobbies, foods and even social situations were quietly written off with the certainty of personal preference. But sticking to that sentiment had left me in a bit of a rut. When I moved to London, I threw myself into work: long hours, commuting and networking. In the process, I stopped making time for hobbies or trying anything new. My housemates were endlessly creative, often heading to unusual theatre shows, dance classes or events I had never considered."
"I started small. When a friend invited me to a book club, I resisted the instinct to dismiss it, despite my longstanding dislike of reading. Being dyslexic, reading always felt like a mental workout that left my brain exhausted. But I went anyway. I listened to the first book on audiobook and, to my surprise, enjoyed the discussion, the people and, naturally, the pints. By the next month, I challenged myself to read the physical book on my commute."
An individual assumed tastes were fixed, which led to dismissing unfamiliar hobbies, foods, and social activities and settling into a monotonous routine after moving to London. Long work hours and commuting crowded out time for creativity and new experiences. Exposure to creative housemates prompted an experiment in retraining taste through repeated trials. Joining a book club despite lifelong dislike of reading, using audiobooks and then reading physical books on the commute, led to enjoyment of discussion and reading. Subsequent exploration of jazz clubs, spoken word, line dancing, and contemporary performance produced initial awkwardness but expanded preferences and revitalized daily life.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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