In the humdrum of our everyday routines, it’s easy to become a creature of habit. But shaking things up and trying something new can feel like a refreshing splash of cold water. It’s a great way to improve your mental health and well-being. And it can help also you not only cope better with the challenges you face in life, but to be happier as you do so, too.
Not convinced? Here are just some of the ways trying something different can improve your mental health right now.
Improve Your Mental Health: Try Something New and Change Your Life
1. Improve Your Mental Health by Busting Boredom
Boredom can be worse for our mental health than many of us imagine. When we have nothing to do and nothing is satisfying us, we tend to start ruminating on everything we perceive to be wrong in our lives, and we start to feel like this is all we are ever going to have, which is not a good position to be in.
The good news is, no matter how bored you may be, you can always do something to alleviate the situation whether it be trying a new sport, reading a classic book you have never tried before, or even just starting a new show on Netflix if that’s all you have the energy to do.
2. Try Something to Boost Confidence and Self-Esteem
There’s nothing like the thrill of nailing something new.
It’s a sure-fire confidence and self-esteem booster.
Overcoming the challenges of a fresh activity shows you just how capable, resilient, and adaptable you really are.
Heck, even getting a blunt cut or dying your hair can be enough to transform your confidence and make you feel like a million dollars, so it is fair to say that, if you need a boost, trying something different can be a great way to give yourself a sense of achievement and a pat on the back, or to basically just boost the way you feel about yourself physically too.
3. Try Something New, Spark Creativity, and Improve Your Mental Health
If you never do anything new, then you are never going to come up with any new ideas or make any new connections, so it is totally true to say that doing something different and shaking up your usual routine is a great way to spark more creativity in your life.
This is important for your mental health because creativity can make you see yourself and your situation in a different light.
It can enable you to get your feelings out in a painting or piece of writing so that it burdens you less, and so that you have a sense of achievement when you look at the end product.
Creativity stops you from getting bored or disheartened and helps build resiliency. And we can all tap into our creative side just by trying something new.
4. Trying Something New Enhances Problem-Solving Skills
Confronting the unknown naturally hones your problem-solving skills.
Unfamiliar situations compel you to think on your feet and find innovative solutions to unexpected challenges.
So, if you’re feeling stuck in a rut, switch things up in any way you can from reading a new genre of fiction to visiting a part of the world you have never been to before.
It’s mental gymnastics for your brain!
And of course, the healthier your brain is, the less likely you are to succumb to negative patterns of thinking.
5. Trying Something New Reduces Fear of Failure and Improves Your Mental Health
Fear of failure is one of the most common issues we collectively face as human beings.
The thing is fearing failure holds us back from reaching our full potential.
The good news is that by diving into something new and different, we can start to realize that failure isn’t the end of the world.
It’s just a steppingstone to growth and learning.
So, take that pottery class or start writing that novel you’ve always wanted to write and say goodbye to fear and hello to fabulous new opportunities!
6. Trying Something New Connects You with People and Improves Your Mental Health
Embarking on a new adventure often introduces you to a wonderful world of like-minded souls.
Whether it’s a dance class, a language learning group, or a cooking course, you’re likely to meet diverse and exciting people who share your interests, and this will also help to keep loneliness at bay.
If you are experiencing mental health difficulties it is always a good idea to seek the help of a medical professional who can diagnose you and get support.
That being said, trying something different can really help you to get out of your funk and feel even just a little bit better, especially if you are simply feeling a little down in the dumps.
Note: If you are struggling, please remember you are never alone. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to reach a 24-hour crisis center, text MHA to 741741, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.
Thank you for reading.
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Joan Senio is the founder of KindCompassCoach. Joan’s career includes clinical healthcare plus 20+ years as an executive in a nationwide health care system and 15 years as a consultant. The common threads throughout Joan’s personal and professional life are a commitment to non-profit organizations, mental health, compassionate coaching, professional development and servant leadership. Joan has had the privilege of mentoring early and mid-career professionals as well as current and future executives and leaders. She is a member of the International Organization of Life Coaches, serves as a thought-leader for KuelLife.com and is also a regular contributor to PsychReg and Sixty and Me. You can read more about Joan here: Joan Senio.
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