This Is The Experience That Makes People Happiest

The Spice Of Life

It's no surprise that experiences are what keep us alive. It's hard to get through the days doing the same thing all the time, holding ourselves up inside without ever experiencing what else life has to offer. However, it's also impossible to what experiences are worth spending our time on, especially if we're an anxious type who doesn't feel confident going out much.

Thankfully, there have been studies done to help us narrow down what types of experiences we should prioritize to create a happier life for ourselves.

Fresh And Exciting

The answer? New and diverse experiences.

This came from a 2020 study that tracked participants living in Miami and New York City over the span of 3-4 months. Their movements and emotions were tracked via regular surveys (and some brain scans).

After compiling all the gathered data, the researchers behind this study saw that respondents felt more positive emotions when they spent more time in places that were new or novel to them.

Starting Small

It doesn't just have to be big changes in scenery either, like a vacation or moving cities. Even something as small as taking a different route to work helps refresh our brains and keep us happier.

Dr. Catherine Hartley, one of the study's co-authors, wrote, "Our results suggest that people feel happier when they have more variety in their daily routines—when they go to novel places and have a wider array of experiences."

"The opposite is also likely true: positive feelings may drive people to seek out these rewarding experiences more frequently."

More Than One

Specifically, when the study's participants went to multiple new or different places on the same day (think going to a new restaurant for dinner followed by a concert), they were more likely to report feeling happy, strong, relaxed, and excited.

As the study's first author, Dr. Aaron Heller, wrote, "Collectively, these findings show the beneficial consequences of environmental enrichment across species, demonstrating a connection between real-world exposure to fresh and varied experiences and increases in positive emotions."

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Rewarding Experiences

Some of the participants also had brain scans done throughout the project, with these scans revealing that new experiences triggered the areas of the brain that process feelings of novelty and reward. Our brains always consider doing new things to be both fun and rewarding!

There's even a subset of people who are more sensitive to this effect, meaning they're always on the hunt for something new to do.

Dr. Hartley added, "These results suggest a reciprocal link between the novel and diverse experiences we have during our daily exploration of our physical environments and our subjective sense of well-being."

Find Your Excitement

So, if you're ever feeling stuck, drab, dull, or bored, there's an easy way to start shaking things up and start injecting some happiness back into your life.

Go for a walk around the neighborhood, drive a different path to work, or attend that event that piqued your interest. You might just find something new you'll come to love, but even if you don't, you've enriched your brain and boosted your confidence by getting out there more, and that on its own is a huge accomplishment.

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