Glorious and Frightening Novelty

Novelty arouses emotions. It is a step away from the routine and comfortable. Some are hard wired to seek novelty. Others much prefer security in structure and routine. Extremes in either may quickly morph into maladaptive behaviors. The novelty seeker is exposed to danger and prone to react impulsively. The security driven person limits experience and stagnates their personal growth.

Jeffrey Gray hypothesized that neurologically-based, independent systems are involved in regulating behavior. One is the Behavioral Activation System activated by appetitive rewards to conditioned and unconditioned stimuli. The second is the Behavioral Inhibition System activated by conditioned and unconditioned stimuli signaling punishment or non-reward (Gray, 1987).

Basically, novel experience are more frightening to some than others. However, our wellness depends on some amount of novelty. Daniel Siegel theorizes that resilience is achieved through broadened mindsets. He explain that “by broadening an individual’s momentary thought–action repertoire—whether through play, exploration or similar activities—positive emotions promote discovery of novel and creative actions, ideas and social bonds, which in turn build that individual’s personal resources.” He continues, “Importantly, these resources function as reserves that can be drawn on later to improve the odds of successful coping and survival” (Siegel, 2020).

See Behavior Activation System for more on this topic

New Endeavors Sometimes Lead to Failure​​

Newness invites the possibility of failure, demanding focus and additional resources, more than we comfortably can give. When we venture beyond the ease of security, we have no guarantee of success; we must development new skills, while facing unpredictable challenges.

Many frantically avoid failure by dodging opportunities that require expansion. Their life of limitations avoids anxiety, creating stagnation and decay. Initially avoidance provides security; but the security is a mirage. Missed experiences accumulate, narrowing skills, and expanding vulnerabilities.

​See Fear of Failure for more on this topic

New Experiences Builds Skills​

Exposure from brave ventures—whether we failed or succeeded—builds life skills. Failing to develop job skills limits income, failing to develop social skills limits relationships, and failing to understand emotions leads to misdirected reactions. The skills from expanded expertise become resources to succeed. True security is competence in our strength, creativity, and courage—not from avoiding failure. Sometimes skills surmount a challenge; other times skills aide in recovery after failure.

We build new skills by adding novelty through doing something new. Angela Duckworth wrote that “unlike other animals, which have strong instincts to act in certain ways, babies need to learn almost everything from experience. If babies didn’t have a strong drive for novelty, they wouldn’t learn as much, and that would make it less likely they’d survive” (Duckworth, 2018).

Wellness Benefits of Novelty

Novel experiences offer a range of wellness benefits, including:

• Increased Happiness: Stepping out of your comfort zone and engaging in new activities can increase happiness.
• Stress Reduction: Novelty can help reduce stress by providing a distraction from daily routines and worries.
• Improved Mindfulness: New experiences can enhance mindfulness, encouraging individuals to be present and fully engaged in the moment.
• Enhanced Social Connection: Trying new things often involves interacting with others, which can lead to improved social relationships.
• Brain Health: Novel experiences can stimulate the brain, potentially improving cognitive function and brain plasticity.
• Longevity: A desire for new experiences, or “neophilia,” has been associated with living a longer, happier, and healthier life.

These benefits highlight the importance of incorporating new and diverse experiences into your life for overall well-being.

Surviving Failure

We will occasionally fail when reaching beyond comfortable patterns. Failure is difficult. It hurts; but failure is part of learning. Pain from past failures resurface, sparking new fears, reminding that we may fail again. We must struggle through the inevitable learning-curve to gain new proficiencies—new expanded comfort zones. 

When we learn a new professional skill, secondary characteristics also develop, such as determination, humility, creativity, and courage. Even if we fail at the original goal, the secondary characteristics were still developed. Exchanging relief in the present for long-term growth is simple; but by allowing failure, without viewing it as a catastrophe, we discover exhilarating challenges that demand full attention.

See Flow State for more on this topic

Associated Concepts

• Enriched Environment: This refers to a stimulating and intellectually engaging setting that provides a wide range of experiences for an individual, particularly during critical periods of development.
• Reciprocal Gene-Environment Model: This model emphasizes the dynamic interaction between genetic predispositions and environmental factors in shaping human behavior.
• Self-Determination Theory: This theory emphasizes the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in driving achievement behaviors.
• Self-Efficacy Theory: Developed by Bandura, it focuses on the belief in one’s capabilities to execute actions required to manage prospective situations, affecting the types of goals they set.
• Opportunity Mindset: This refers to the mental outlook and attitude that focuses on recognizing and seizing opportunities for growth, improvement, and success. Individuals with an opportunity mindset perceive challenges as chances to learn, develop new skills, and achieve their goals.
• Curiosity: This refers to having a strong desire to learn or know something, driven simply for the sake of gaining knowledge.
• Motivation Orientation: This refers to an individual’s underlying motivation to accomplish tasks, goals, or activities. It reflects the underlying motivations that drive a person’s behavior and influence their choices. It’s important to note that motivational orientation is not a fixed trait and can vary across different contexts and situations.

A Few Words by Psychology Fanatic

We find security not in predictable success but in our capacity to conquer. Our lives flourish when we engage in tasks and hobbies that challenge skills and intellect. Feel the exhilaration by adding novelty through engaging in something new, activity that pushes your abilities. The thrill of growth, the sense of meaning, and lifelong growth will follow.

​Do something new, I double dog dare you!