The Power of New Experiences for Anxiety Relief
Research shows that having new experiences can improve symptoms of anxiety, as well as overall mental wellbeing.
Many people who are struggling with anxiety often find it difficult to try new things or step outside of their comfort zone. It makes sense – the unknown can be unsettling and it’s much easier to stick to what we know.
There might not even feel like much point in doing something new if it makes you feel uncomfortable.
However, research shows that having new experiences can improve symptoms of anxiety, as well as overall mental wellbeing.
How do new experiences help anxiety?
Whether it’s something completely new or just a slightly different way of doing things, new experiences help us to develop cognitive flexibility.
Essentially, cognitive flexibility is all about our ability to be mentally flexible and adaptable – the more cognitively flexible we are, the more we are able to cope with new environments and challenging situations. Cognitive flexibility helps us to
- learn,
- solve problems,
- relate to others,
- be creative, and
- accept change.
Having experiences that we’ve never had before allows us to gain new perspectives and see the world in different ways, building our cognitive flexibility, and helping us to face difficult situations in future.
Having experiences that we’ve never had before allows us to gain new perspectives and see the world in different ways, building our cognitive flexibility, and helping us to face difficult situations in future.
When it comes to anxiety, we know that avoiding the things that make us feel anxious might help short-term, but avoidance often makes anxiety worse in the long run.
New experiences often come with new challenges and opportunities to learn about yourself and the world, and maybe even confront something that scares you. However, there’s no need to jump straight in the deep end – even small differences in your daily routine can go a long way to building confidence.
How can I have new experiences?
A nice way to ease yourself out of your comfort zone is to make small changes to the things that you do from day to day. This could include things like getting your morning coffee from a different coffee shop, taking a new route to work, or sitting in a different spot at the dinner table. While having routines can often be useful for maintaining structure in your life, you might be surprised at what new things you notice if you switch up that routine just a little bit from time to time.
While having routines can often be useful for maintaining structure in your life, you might be surprised at what new things you notice if you switch up that routine just a little bit from time to time.
Another useful way to build your mental flexibility is to engage in some kind of creative activity. Writing, playing an instrument, drawing, or other kinds of creative arts can be really effective ways of taking on different perspectives.
What’s more, it can be extra beneficial if you approach activities without taking the easiest way. For example, if you enjoy colouring patterns, try drawing the pattern from scratch, rather than using a pre-drawn one.
Although it can sometimes be challenging, meeting new people can greatly benefit our cognitive flexibility. Research shows that the more we speak to people from a range of diverse backgrounds, the better we are at solving complex problems.
A goal might be to see if you can speak to one new person each month – whether this is at school or work, while you’re out at coffee shops or walking in the park, or by joining social groups online. Of course, it can feel uncomfortable to strike up conversation with someone you don’t know, but it doesn’t have to be much, even just a simple “Hi, how are you doing?” is a good place to start.
Research shows that the more we speak to people from a range of diverse backgrounds, the better we are at solving complex problems.
Conversations with others can be powerful in multiple ways.
Even with those you know, if you make an effort to see things from their perspective it can help you to learn and adapt. When you’re having a conversation with someone, try taking a moment to reflect on how much you are considering their frame of mind. Have you asked what they think about the topic? Have they had an experience that you haven’t had that you could ask about?
When you disagree with someone, try to understand why they think differently to you. This doesn’t mean you have to agree with them, but it can be really useful to take a moment to imagine things the way they see it. You never know–you might learn something.
Finally, having the opportunity to travel to a new place, take on a new work or volunteer role, or learn a new skill are some of the best ways to gain new perspectives on life and build your cognitive flexibility. Ultimately, the more you go out of your way to experience new things, the more confident you will be to handle life’s challenges and feel relief from anxiety.
If you’d like reliable relief from anxiety, you can try Mind Ease for free here.
