Change is not popular; we are creatures of habit as human beings. ‘I want it to be the way it was.’ But if you continue the way it was there will be no ‘is’. – Robin Williams
Rooted deeply in each of us is uncertainty. Human beings are creatures of habit.
We want to find the TV remote where we left it (where it has always been), to be guaranteed the paycheck comes in next month (as it always does). We want to be sure we don’t die (from eating that new soup).
Humans love novelty, but we don’t like the change that brings it – it scares us to no end.
So, we adopt routines and rituals, whilst avoiding risk and probabilities.
Why is it so hard to try new things? The habit of trying new things every once in a while brings about the better, and sometimes best experiences.
The Excitement of New Experiences
It’s going on a blind date, learning a new skill, moving to a new place, or testing the yummy soup (with the weird name and funny look) that makes you kick yourself for not doing it earlier. The benefits of trying new things range from beneficial to crucial.
For example, you could decide to start listening to the top trending songs across different genres on Spotify each week.
This small decision to try out new songs may not increase your paycheck. But it would definitely lead to the discovery of a handful of amazing songs you would have otherwise never heard, hence improving your enjoyment of life.
On the other hand, you could decide to start visiting different restaurants in the city each week, and end up knowing the city better, finding less expensive yet delightful places to hang out.
You may even meet someone who ends up playing a very crucial role in your life (say, a lover, business partner, mentor…).
You will have to experiment and try things out for yourself and you will not be sure of what you are doing. That’s alright, you are feeling your way into the thing. – Emily Carr
What is acceptable is mostly mundane, redundant, and repetitive – it is the safe thing.
- That is why things that go too far, too soon, fail spectacularly.
- It is the reason many great technologies take years to catch on.
- And it is the reason many individuals never live their lives to the fullest.
In the spirit of changing things up, today we are talking about why you should try new things.
You don’t have to start by climbing a mountain, just doing one small thing can begin a snowball effect of healthy and happy changes in your world!
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6 Reasons Why Trying New Things is Important
1. Brings about fun, enjoyment and happiness.
Perhaps the first and most immediate thing you realize when you start trying out new things is how thrilling some of the experiences can be. It can awaken your sense of adventure and excite you.
How it intoxicates you with new sensations, vigor, and vitality. How enjoyable it is – and it encourages you to seek out more and more. Though you might encounter some sour grapes, the good ones are generally much more delightful than you could ever imagine.
2. Helps you discover your passion and interests.
In the course of trying out new things, we get to discover what we truly enjoy, and those things we really don’t.
You may sometimes discover that the things, people, and places you thought you enjoyed didn’t really excite you as much as you thought.
They had only appeared that way because they were what you had at the time. By expanding the breadth of your experiences, you get to know for sure if you like something or someone, and if you get no joy others. You know yourself better because you now know better.
3. Forces you to get creative, and improve.
Exposed to danger, discomfort, or when encountering a challenge, you are forced to level up – to get creative, resourceful, and push your limits. Moments like these bring out the best in you.
The change can be as simple as pushing the limits of what you were accustomed to, or as taking on a whole new challenge, requiring a fresh set of skills, knowledge, tools, and approaches. In any case, you are forced to become a better version of yourself.
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4. Helps you overcome your fears.
Doing new things can be very scary.
But you should understand that fear is only a way for your mind to restrain you from doing what “feels” dangerous; feelings are not “evidence” of danger.
We need to look to the future. You can’t come up with new things unless you constantly forget the past. There’s no reason to keep wearing the same pair of pants. – Andrew Lau, film director
True, new things come with a level of danger, but most aren’t lethal. And once you take the risk, and realize you didn’t die. Life went on, or maybe it got a whole lot better because of taking the risk.
That fear (that restrains billions of people) loses its grip over you. You become unstoppable.
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5. Opens up new opportunities.
A lot of the time, doing the things everyone else is too afraid to do brings about the biggest rewards.
The best things in life are on the other side of terror, on the other side of your maximum fear, are all of the best things in life. – Will Smith
This doesn’t mean you should jump headfirst into danger; but that after careful analysis (or “calculated risk”) you should not hesitate to take action. It is usually this kind of boldness that brings fortune.
6. Enriches your life with a sense of accomplishment.
Perhaps the worst regret of people in their sick beds is not having done the things they most wanted to do – especially when it wasn’t because of real limitations, but because of their cowardice.
A man is not old until his regrets take the place of his dreams. – John Barrymore
Another very sad prospect to consider is that many people die without even knowing their full potential, the endless possibilities, and the overall life they would have led.
Remember – how can you achieve something if you never try to get there?
Who cares if you fail…you now have a new life experience, and maybe a good story. It’s rare for anyone to be great at something the first time. But at least they know if they want to try it again.
Just Get Out and Try Something Different
The world is massive, with lots of interesting people, and things lurking in fascinating places and corners; all with their exotic looks, perspectives, and ways of life.
Don’t limit yourself to the physical, cultural, and social environment you were born and raised within, explore the world – it is a gift to you. Enjoy it! 😉
Editor’s note: This article was originally published Nov 10, 2023 and has been updated to improve reader experience.
Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash
