When was the last time you tried something new?
What was it that inevitably stopped you?
One of the outcomes that trying new things can result in, is change. Change is something that humans as a rule find challenging. This is because change can result in unknown outcomes. The brain finds a lot of solace in knowing all the variables and outcomes.
When we cannot pinpoint an outcome, our brains go into hyper fixation, making up scenarios of possible outcomes - which in turn creates angst and worry. Neuroscience has shown that failure and uncertainty feel pretty similar to us - hence why we tend to be put off new or uncertain things.
When we don’t know how things will turn out, our brains see not trying less painful than the unknown. We’re programmed to like control, and control means knowing all the variables. This is hard stuff to break free from - we’re working against thousands of years of evolution!
Whilst this can be gut-wrenching to experience - and I know this from first-hand experience - once we know the simple signals behind the feelings we can see a route through the confusion.
Babies take time to learn depth - when they start crawling they simply can’t perceive it - only over time do they learn. Everything was once unknown to us. Unless we’re willing to try new things, then our lives will stay the same.
Releasing control, and being open to things not working out is a healthy approach. Some stuff will work, and some won’t. Unless we’re prepared to take risks, we will never see a payoff. The ability to try is what can make us feel powerful.
I say yes to challenging work assignments, even though the thought of them makes me feel physically sick - because the pay-off of learning, adapting and achieving is so rewarding. ‘What if’ doesn’t have to be the start of negative statements - but instead can allow you to see positive routes through life.
So try something new - it might just make you feel alive for all the right reasons!
Shot by Ruth Pechey
