When you hear the word new, which emotions come up? Excitement, anxiety, hesitation, or even fear? New jobs, new experiences, and new opportunities force us into uncharted territory, which can be exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Many of us get comfortable in our routines, and the thought of switching things up or doing something we have no experience with brings up lots of worries and feelings of uncertainty. While there is nothing wrong with sticking to what we know and our usual routines, we might be missing out on growth opportunities if we don’t step into the unknown and push ourselves to try new things.

What is something you’ve always wanted to add to your life? Maybe it’s playing an instrument, biking to work, taking evening walks, practicing a sport, pursuing a hobby, etc. Starting new habits is definitely daunting, but what if your goal was simply to do the new task for 30 days? As Matt Cutts explains in his TedTalk, 30 days is just about the amount of time needed to add or subtract a habit.

By challenging yourself to intentionally doing something for 30 days straight, you will probably notice two key changes. First, you will likely become more aware of the present moment as you bring your attention daily to this new task. Also, you will start to experience a sense of mastery. The more we do things that are challenging and new, the more we gain confidence and feel capable of accomplishing things we never thought we could. By starting a new habit and sticking with it, we feel empowered and proud of our accomplishment.

If you’re feeling stuck in a rut and looking for a way to get energized, make a list of habits you’d like to add to your life. Pick one to start with, and challenge yourself to working on this habit a little bit each day, for 30 days. Let us know how it goes!