Life can be a bit of a rollercoaster, right? Some days, it feels like you’re on top of the world, and on others, it’s a struggle just to get out of bed. Honestly, everyone has those days; it just happens. Usually, doing a hobby that builds your self-confidence is one way to go about it (as this is ideal for mental health in the first place), but this isn’t the only way either.
Sometimes, just pushing yourself to try new things can help, too. Doing this daily isn’t just about personal growth or hitting those big goals—it’s also a fantastic way to keep your mental health in check. But how so? Well, let’s go ahead and dive in!
Breaking the Monotony of Routine
Let’s face it: routines can be comforting, but they can also turn into a bit boring. Just think about it for a moment; waking up, going to work, coming home, and repeating the same cycle day after day can make life feel like it’s on autopilot. That’s where daily challenges come in. They shake things up, add a splash of excitement, and prevent life from becoming too predictable. Think of that movie “Yes Man” that might be a great example.
When you push yourself out of your comfort zone, even in small ways, you introduce variety into your day. Maybe it’s trying a new recipe, learning a few phrases in a new language, or simply taking a different route on your daily walk. These small changes can make a big difference in how you perceive your day-to-day life. Suddenly, there’s something new to look forward to, and that can do wonders for your mental state.
Boosting Confidence and Self-Esteem
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment. Basically, challenging yourself daily is like giving yourself a steady stream of small victories, and each one boosts your confidence and self-esteem. Over time, these small wins build up, creating a solid foundation of self-belief.
When you consistently prove to yourself that you can tackle new challenges, you start to see yourself as capable and resilient. This should build you up to a permanent resilience (which then gets incorporated into your state of mind).
Keeping Your Brain Sharp
Your brain is like a muscle—the more you use it, the stronger it gets. As you get older, your cognitive health starts slipping a bit, which is also why you need to keep challenging yourself (in different ways). So, challenging yourself doesn’t always need to be physical or mental either, but just your brain itself.
You can do this in so many ways, too, like playing video games, buying unique chess sets and playing a game (you can never go wrong playing with an elderly person), doing puzzles, and even building Lego sets counts, too. These are examples, but honestly, do what you find fun.
Reducing Anxiety and Stress
Alright, so it might sound counterintuitive, but challenging yourself can actually help reduce anxiety and stress. When faced with a challenge, your body releases endorphins, those feel-good chemicals that help to improve your mood and reduce stress levels. Again, it goes back to building confidence, you get less fearful the more you get our of your comfortzone.