*Contributed Content
Many of us get into a comfy routine and stay there. Although there is nothing wrong with that per se, it can get monotonous and when life gets monotonous, boredom, stress, and depression are much more likely to creep in.
One of the best ways to more fight against this is by challenging yourself. When you’re in a comfortable routine the idea of doing more challenging things can seem scary and you may be hesitant to do so, but there are more than a few good reasons why you should…
Discover your greatness
When you challenge yourself to do things you never imagined you would, from writing a book to base jumping in the desert, you learn a lot about yourself; you learn what you are truly capable of, and more often than not, you learn that you can do more and be more than you ever thought possible. This is what happened to Kendra Bentley when she appeared on the Amazing Race and it has made her life better in innumerate ways. It boosts confidence, helps you work out who you really are, and helps you to be fearless in future endeavors – what’s not to love?
Relieve stress
When you challenge yourself to do new things you discover new things that you like to do whether that be square dancing, knitting, or hiking, and the more new things you can add to your day-to-day life. The less stressful life can be. Having lots of hobbies has been proven to relieve tension and boost mood, and if you’ve fallen into a work-home-repeat rut, getting out of it and giving yourself a challenge could be just the thing you need to decompress and start feeling more relaxed again.
Gain new skills
If you never challenge yourself to do anything new, then you will never learn anythign new. There is nothing wrong with having a specific skillet that you carry through life with you, but these days, things are changing rapidly and the skills that once were desirable are not always going to be desirable, which is why challenging yourself to learn new things is always going to help you do more and be more in your life.
Boost creativity
If you stay in your own little bubble, never exposing yourself to new ideas, cultures, or experiences, you are never going to reach the same creative heights of individuals who get out there and experience all that life has to offer good and bad. The more you see and the more you do, the better your brain is able to work to come up with novel ideas and creative works that will really have an impact. If creativity matters to you, then challenging yourself every day is the smart thing to do.
As you can see, challenging yourself is a fantastic way to improve your life in more ways than you might have imagined. It’s not always easy but getting out there and doing the things you might be hesitant to do, can be totally transformative.
