As much as I firmly believe all the research and tips in my book, I have to admit that I wasn’t too thrilled about some of them. For instance, I am a creature of habit, so I was dismayed to read all the studies that say how important it is for brain health and cognitive function to try new things all the time and break up your routine whenever you can. I like my routine just fine, thank you very much. I spend a lot of time and mental energy creating plans and organizing my day/week, so I’m fairly reluctant to change that up. But last Wednesday, I received an invitation that was oh-so-worth it.
My dear friend A lives in New York City and asked if I and our friend T (who lives in the Boston area like me) would be willing to come to stay with her one weekend in December to visit the holiday markets and take in all of the festive sights in the city. I’ll take any chance I can get to see A, and I’ve always wanted to see NYC decked out for Christmas, but December is always a crazy month and I wasn’t sure I could make it work. And in fact, T said that her month was already packed and she wouldn’t be able to come. Still, I pulled out my calendar to see if there was even a possibility that I could go, and there was—but it was that weekend. As in, 36 hours from when I’d gotten A’s email. Frequently, when I’m faced with a situation like this, I will beg off because it just seems too complicated to rearrange everything on such short notice. But I mentioned it to my husband anyway, and when he said I should go, I flew into action and never looked back.
And it was an incredible trip. The word “whirlwind” definitely comes to mind, but it was so full of good conversation, delicious food, amazing sights, fun shopping, and laughter, that it kind of felt like time expanded to accommodate it all. Yes, there were a few kinks in our plans because of the short notice and some unforeseen events, but seeing how well everything worked out overall reminds me that it really is good—and fun!—to be spontaneous. (At least occasionally…) It’s helpful for me to have positive memories like this to point back to the next time I’m tempted to turn down an invitation in favor of my routine. And I can see firsthand why new experiences are so beneficial for brain health—I’m feeling energized and focused in a way I certainly wouldn’t be if I’d stayed at home wishing I had gone. Do you struggle with being spontaneous? Are you generally glad when you go for it?
[…] benefits of this weekend from that perspective, I would say they are 1) challenging my brain by trying something new and meeting new people, and 2) strengthening friendships/sense of community. Here’s hoping those […]