Some people love novelty and variety. They seek out things that are new and different. Yet, others prefer the same ol’ same ol’. They like life to be predictable and known and avoid anything new or different.

You drive through life in a rut if you avoid novelty and variety. You navigate down the same path repeatedly. Thus, your scenery, environment, and experience never change.

It’s hard to live your life fully if you never venture off the beaten path. In fact, if you are honest, you’ll admit it’s a boring way to live.

A Creature of Habit

I have to admit that, to a great extent, I’m a creature of habit. For instance, I rarely try new restaurants and typically order the same entrees at the restaurants I frequent.

That said, I like to do new things, like travel to different countries, because the experience makes me feel more alive. And, as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. You could say the same of novelty.

My husband and I have lived in California for almost 20 years. So, as you might imagine, we are pretty set in our ways. But we’ve decided to shake things up and move to a totally new place—New Mexico.

This move will expose us to a novel environment and various people, places, and experiences. And you know what? The change makes me feel alive!

Getting Off the Beaten Path

When you get off the beaten path, you see, you expose yourself to novelty and variety. As a result, things are new and different.

And you are different. You see things with new eyes…and are forced to grow and change.

That’s a good thing!

I recall my stepson telling me he was happy to move from Georgia to Illinois in the middle of high school. “Now, I have the opportunity to reinvent myself,” he said. “In a new place, nobody will know me as I’ve been before—only as the person I am when they meet me.”

Indeed, a move offers the chance to choose who you want to be. And that new identity changes everything. In fact, you can make the decision to change who you are being at any time—even without a move.

So, why not choose to be someone who adds novelty and variety to your life. Move you out of the rut and live fully.

Don’t Feel Afraid of Change

Fear is the only thing that stops you from embracing novelty and variety. But you have no reason to fear.

After all, you experience at least a few new things every day, like a detour, a new client, or different weather. Plus, your body changes all the time. The inner lining of the intestines replenishes itself every 2 to 4 weeks, for example, and your skin regenerates itself approximately every 27 days.

Most likely, these changes don’t send you into a panic. Instead, you accept them, deal with them, and move on.

What you may not realize is that when you become aware that you are experiencing something new or different, you also feel different. You feel more alive.

How to Get Out of Your Rut

So how do you move yourself out of the rut? First, identify where you are in a rut. In which life arenas—career, relationships, health, and hobbies—do you feel stuck doing the same thing every day or week?

Second, do something new or different. For example, maybe you always watch a Netflix movie on Saturday night; if so, instead, read a book. Possibly you always wear black to work; if so, choose bright-colored outfits. Or, if you always drink coffee, drink tea.

You don’t have to change something big, like where you live. Instead, you can take a small new action—like driving to work a new way, going to a new restaurant, or trying a new workout routine. You could even wake up earlier or go to bed later, read fiction instead of nonfiction, or eat fish instead of chicken.

Then watch what happens—to how you experience life and yourself.

Charge Up!

Novelty and variety make you feel like you are firing on all cylinders. As a Certified High Performance Coach, I talk with my clients frequently about the importance of novelty to living a charged life.

Are you ready to live fully? If so, try something new or different. You won’t regret it.

How do novelty and variety help you live more fully? Tell me in a comment below, and please share this post with a friend.

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Photo courtesy of inno kurnia .