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Wellness

Why Trying New Things is Beneficial

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UNH chapter.

Why Bother Trying New Things?

While routines can be safe and grounding, it is also important to remind the self to try new things. It can be something as simple as walking on a different route to class or something as groundbreaking as exploring a new restaurant. The possibilities are endless and can be done any day at any time. By engaging in novel experiences, you open up your life to a healthier lifestyle, opportunities, and a sense of zest.

Encourages a Healthier Lifestyle

A willingness to try new things is beneficial for a healthy lifestyle as it can help your brain stay responsive later in life. Your brain expands through making new neural connections and increasing dendritic growth when you learn new things. These connections work your brain and strengthen already existing connections which is important for a healthier brain, especially later in life. Through trying new things, your brain remains active and hard at work, and thus, this can be a great buffer against cognitive decline later in life.

Trying new things is also beneficial for helping you escape your comfort zone and building self-trust. While novelty can be scary due to fear of the unknown and uncertainty, you can learn to feel safe in the uncomfortable if you engage in it frequently. Feeling safe in the uncomfortable lets you build inner trust because you can realize that you are capable of surviving through this uncertainty. Once you are able to exist in the uncomfortable, you can expand yourself through escaping your comfort zone. Novelty is a beautiful chance to expand your comfort zone and cultivate inner self-trust

Cultivates New Opportunities

Trying new things not only helps your lifestyle but also opens up your life to opportunities of finding new things you enjoy. Let’s say you decide to try a new activity (playing guitar), and it turns out you love it. This new experience will have given you joy and something new to love. And it doesn’t have to just be hobbies; you can also meet new people or discover new places. The possibilities are endless as opportunities can be found all around you. A new friend, a new restaurant, a new open-mic night, a new sport, etc.. All of these opportunities allow you to grow into a more expansive, open person and discover more things to love. As a means of growing as a person or finding new interests, you can try new things that unlock opportunities.

Invigorates the Self

Novelty is more than just healthy and full of potential as it can also create excitement. New things inspire zest and exhilaration. That feeling of going on a vacation somewhere new or seeing a new band in a concert. That thrilling sentiment is captivating, and it is something you can find even in everyday situations. Trying new things encourages zest and excitement which invigorate the self. In fact, creativity is regarded as novelty from a cognitive standpoint, and thus, you can inspire creativity in your life through trying new things. You can elevate the excitement and joy in your life through trying new things.

Essential for a Fulfilling Life

For a healthy life. For expansion of the self. For inspiring zest. For unlocking new opportunities. Trying new things elevates your life and allows you to grow. There are no rules to it and no strict commitments; it can be whatever you want it to be. The chance is yours to decide how you wish to live your life, grow, and expand through novelty. Take the first step and try something new today!

Keri studies psychology and writing at UNH. She is a published poet of four collections available online, and she also runs Meadow Mouse Zine. Besides poetry, she is invested in self-development, healing the inner child and thrifting. You can find Keri at @keri.27 on Instagram.