Removing the blinders isn’t an easy thing.  Especially when you’re the one wearing them…

One of mine and my husband’s new favorite things to do on the weekend is to take a stroll around campus.  We live in Ames, Iowa, and Iowa State’s beautiful campus is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from our house.  So on every pleasant Sunday, we hop in our car, drive the whopping five minutes over to campus and spend an hour or so walking around the quad area. We spend out time amongst dog-walkers, hammockers, touch football players, and a couple of artistic tree-sketchers.  But, before walking around, we’ve got to grab some good ole iced coffee.  It’s our special treat on relaxed, sunny days like this.  Well, up until a couple of weeks ago, would you believe that I had never gotten a coffee- iced or otherwise- from Dunkin Donuts?! 

Y’all, I WAS SO BLIND. 

I have been a loyal Starbucks gal since the beginning of my coffee and chai tea latte days, but this stuff at Dunkin is almost too good to be true.  For starters, a large iced coffee is about 1/3 of the price it would be at Starbucks.  I kid you not, we grab TWO for a total of $2.67.  Like, what.  Our bank account loves that we love Dunkin coffee.  Secondly, you get soooo much more bang for your buck!  This one, large coffee is about the length of my forearm, with the straw sticking out, and there is not a bit of wasted space in there.  Nothing worse than getting your drink only to find that 1/3 of the container is only full of air.  And lastly, it is freakin delicious, without any extra sugar or creamer added!  Now, not sure how their hot coffee compares- you guys will have to let me know, but the flavor in their iced coffee could go toe to toe with any special vendor, or trendy hole-in-the-wall shop.  For these reasons, I am now a Dunkin iced coffee lifer.  

So, translating this to real life, how many things do we do this with? 

How often do we walk around without realizing that we have these blinders on that prevent us from what could be the best that life has to offer?  (No, I’m not saying it’s a Dunkin iced coffee, but it could be!)  I think that we can get so stuck in our ways, clinging to what we already know, that we don’t venture out into the unknown often enough, and we miss out.  I know that I can be the epitome of clinging to what I know, what is safe, and what is reliable, but I’m reminded time and time again that when I get out of my comfort zone and stick my head up out of my comfy little shell, I am amazed and rewarded by what is out there.  Some risks are worth taking.  

With that said, I want you guys to join me in trying one new thing this week.  Don’t freak out, it’s just one thing!  And it can be tiny!  But make sure that you tell me about it!  Either here, over on Instagram, or on our Facebook page- let me know what new thing you tried this week.  Bonus points to the most creative!  I cannot wait to hear about your new adventures!