What Happens to Your Brain When You Try Something New, According to Psychologists

When was the last time you tried something new? The idea might sound scary, but novel experiences can do wonders for your personal growth. It can also challenge you—in a good way!—and help you learn about your thoughts, strengths, habits, and emotions.

That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with familiar experiences, like regularly visiting a coffee shop or cooking certain meals. Such habits can establish routines and make us feel safe. But there’s also value in switching things up, especially in terms of personal development. Here, mental health experts share the benefits of trying new things, plus tips to make it happen.  

8 Benefits of Trying New Things

You'll manage stress and anxiety better.

“It might sound a bit counterintuitive, but new experiences can actually reduce your stress levels,” shares Stephanie Steele-Wren, PsyD, HSPP, psychologist at PsychologyWorks, PLLC. That’s because taking (safe) risks will help you get comfortable with discomfort. As Jillian Amodio, LMSW, therapist, psychology professor, and founder of Moms for Mental Health, explains, while trying new things can provoke anxiety, learning how to effectively move through the experience (versus avoiding it) allows you to grow neural pathways and thought processes that wire you for expansion. Steele-Wren shares a similar concept: “If you avoid anything unfamiliar, your body never learns that uncomfortable feelings can pass without anything bad happening.”

Your brain will become more flexible.

“Trying something new stimulates neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to form new neural connections,” says Krista Norris, LMFT, PhD(c), practice owner at Conscious Connection Therapy Services LLC. “Novel experiences activate curiosity pathways and mild dopamine release, which supports motivation, learning, and memory,” she says. “From a depth psychology perspective, new experiences can awaken unexplored parts of the self, supporting growth and adaptability. This mental flexibility helps protect against burnout and cognitive stagnation.”

You’ll make life more interesting.

“Doing the same old thing day in and day out makes your brain go on autopilot,” Steele-Wren says. However, when you shake up your usual routine, even in small ways, your brain gets a wake-up call, according to Steele-Wren. “It keeps your brain sharp and contributes to what we call neuroplasticity, where your brain is constantly evolving to adapt to all the changes around you,” she says.

You’ll build confidence.

The more you try new things, the more confidence you’ll have. As Amodio explains, confidence can be built and grown through lived experiences, specifically through exposure to manageable challenges. Over time, these challenges can develop the self-esteem needed to continue pursuing new things, bigger challenges, and goals, Amodio says.

Furthermore, when you build confidence in one area of your life, you’ll feel more self-assured in other areas of your life, too. “The brain does not assign or compartmentalize confidence to specific tasks,” Amodio says. Instead, it uses the lived experiences to assign confidence wherever it is needed, she says.

You’ll increase your emotional resilience.

Trying new things will boost your emotional strength. “New experiences often trigger nervous system activation, which can feel like anxiety at first,” Norris says. However, when we move through it safely, the body learns that uncertainty doesn’t always equal danger. “Somatically, this builds a tolerance for stress, while psychologically it strengthens self-trust,” she says. “Over time, confidence grows from lived experience rather than positive thinking alone. This lays a foundation for us to begin to be comfortable in the unknown.” And every time you safely face something new, your nervous system updates its belief about what you can handle, Norris says.

You’ll develop more self-awareness.

Want to get to know yourself? Add new things to your schedule. According to depth psychology, a form of psychotherapy, growth often comes from encounters with the unfamiliar, Norris says. “Trying new things can reveal hidden strengths, interests, or emotional patterns that routine life keeps out of view,” she explains. “This process helps integrate different parts of identity, leading to greater stability and authenticity.” In turn, you’ll understand yourself more fully, helping you feel more grounded.

You’ll foster social connections.

Some experiences, like volunteering or joining a book club, involve activities with other people. This can pave the way for positive social engagement, which can increase oxytocin and reduce stress hormones, Norris says. “Trying new things also expands your worldview, which can help you better relate and connect to others, understand others' lived experiences more, and create lasting connections with others in your community or circle of inclusion,” Amodio adds.

You’ll expand your comfort zone.

While staying in your comfort zone feels secure and safe, it can also hinder personal growth. Instead, the “stretch zone” is where it’s at, Amodio says. According to psychology research, this is where you encounter experiences that are challenging enough to teach you something new. Once you move past them, your comfort zone will grow.

Tips for Trying New Things

Now, you don’t have to do something new every day to reap the benefits. Steele-Wren says once a week is a solid starting point, as it’s enough to make a difference without causing overwhelm. While you’re at it, consider these tips.

• Keep it simple: “Trying new things doesn’t have to mean big and extravagant changes. Start small and easy,” Steele-Wren says. Norris offers similar tips, noting that your nervous system adapts best to gradual change. “Choose low-pressure entry points like a workshop, a short class, or trying something new with a trusted friend. This keeps curiosity active without overwhelming your system,” she says.

• Be patient: Remember, learning new things takes time. “Trying new things can be time-consuming and often requires patience and persistence as you take the first step. Everyone starts somewhere,” Amodio says.

• Do things for fun: “A lot of people get stuck because they think they need to be amazing at something for it to be worth doing,” Steele-Wren says. Instead, allow yourself to do stuff just because it’s fun. This makes trying new things feel safer and less like a chore, Steele-Wren says. Similarly, Norris suggests focusing on curiosity rather than performance, and shifting your mindset from “will I be good at this?” to “what might I learn?”

• Honor your interests: Instead of picking an experience because it’s popular or easy, think about your core values, general interests, and “wildest dreams,” Amodio suggests. Ask yourself what activities, events, hobbies, foods, experiences, and social connections come to mind. This will help the experience feel more appealing and authentic. 

• Reflect afterward: “After trying something new, pause to notice how you feel physically and emotionally,” Norris suggests. This can help the brain encode the experience as safe and meaningful. Even if it wasn’t amazing, reflection will build self-awareness and support future confidence, Norris says.