5 Fun Ideas to Shake Up Your Life & Get Out Of A Rut
In this episode of the Mel Robbins Podcast, Robbins introduces a game designed to boost mood and energy: taking time to explore new local experiences and areas often overlooked. She discusses how falling into habitual patterns can dull one's senses and joy in life, emphasizing the importance of shaking up routines by planning and trying novel activities.
Robbins suggests seeking out unique local shops, neighborhoods, cultural spots, foods, and community groups to discover hidden vibrancy and adventure close to home. She highlights the psychological benefits of breaking routines, asserting that planning new local experiences lifts mood immediately, while trying these activities leads to further boosts in positivity and engagement with life.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Jul 1, 2024 episode of the The Mel Robbins Podcast
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1-Page Summary
The "Never Been There, Never Done That" Game
Mel Robbins introduces a game designed to boost mood and energy by engaging in new local experiences and exploring areas that are often overlooked.
Shaking Up Your Routine
Robbins discusses how falling into habitual patterns can dull one's senses and joy in life. She calls this effect "habituation" and suggests changing things up is essential to experience happiness. Robbins highlights how planning something new can immediately lift your mood and make you feel energized.
Novel Local Activities to Try
Visiting Unique Stores and Businesses
Robbins encourages listeners to make a list of local shops, coffee houses, antique stores, and unique businesses they've never visited before.
Exploring New Neighborhoods and Areas
She also suggests walking down unfamiliar streets, trying new paths or trails, and driving through different parts of town to discover hidden areas.
Discovering Local Cultural Spots
Robbins recommends visiting museums, art galleries, libraries and public spaces that have been overlooked.
Trying New Foods and Recipes
She discusses the joys of eating at new restaurants or cooking different recipes at home, even if imperfect, for the experience.
Joining Community Groups and Volunteering
Robbins recommends trying local sports leagues, community service groups or volunteer opportunities to build bonds while doing something new.
The Value of Exploring Your Own Backyard
Robbins encourages recognizing the hidden vibrancy in one's local area, which can offer a sense of adventure and wonder comparable to travelling. She suggests that familiar places often have layers yet to be explored that can unveil unexpected cultural treasures.
Robbins highlights the psychological benefits of breaking routines, asserting that planning new local experiences provides an immediate mood lift. Actually trying these activities, she notes, leads to further boosts in positivity and engagement with life.
1-Page Summary
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Counterarguments
- While new experiences can boost mood, they may also induce anxiety or stress for some individuals who find comfort and safety in routines.
- Habituation is a natural psychological process that can provide stability and efficiency in life, not just dullness.
- The assumption that happiness is primarily derived from novel experiences can be challenged by the idea that deep satisfaction often comes from mastery and familiarity.
- Exploring new local areas may not be feasible for everyone due to mobility issues, financial constraints, or safety concerns.
- The concept of "hidden vibrancy" in one's local area may not apply to all locales, especially those that are economically depressed or lack cultural institutions.
- Joining community groups or volunteering, while beneficial, requires time and commitment that may not be available to everyone, such as those with heavy work or family responsibilities.
- The psychological benefits of breaking routines can vary greatly from person to person, and some individuals may find more benefits in maintaining a structured routine.
- The idea that planning new experiences always provides an immediate mood lift may not hold true for individuals who experience decision fatigue or who feel overwhelmed by too many choices.
- The encouragement to try new foods and recipes assumes that individuals have the means and access to diverse ingredients, which may not be the case for everyone.
- The comparison of local exploration to traveling may diminish the unique benefits and experiences that actual travel to different cultures and environments can provide.
Actionables
- Create a 'mystery day' each month where you randomly select a date and plan nothing, allowing spontaneity to guide your activities; you might end up attending a local event you've never heard of or joining a last-minute workshop at a community center.
- Develop a 'swap your routine' pact with a friend where you exchange your favorite local spots and activities for a week, experiencing each other's daily patterns to gain fresh perspectives and new experiences.
- Start a 'new tastes' potluck club where each member brings a dish from a cuisine they've never tried before, encouraging exploration of new flavors and cooking techniques while fostering community connections.
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The "Never Been There, Never Done That" Game as a Life-Shaking Exploration
Mel Robbins introduces a game called "Never Been There, Never Done That," designed to shake up your daily routine and boost mood and energy by engaging in new local experiences.
Shaking up one's daily routine to boost mood and energy
Robbins discusses how falling into habitual patterns can dull one's senses and joy in life. She talks about how a typical Saturday can turn into "same old, same old" if you let the day unfold as usual. Robbins calls this effect "habituation," suggesting that it can make even the most wonderful things about one's life become less noticeable. Changing things up is essential to experiencing joy and happiness in life. Robbins highlights that planning and having something to look forward to can immediately boost one's mood and energy and make you feel like a different person.
Specific suggestions for novel local activities to try
Robbins urges listeners to counteract habituation by creating an adventure for oneself. She suggests considering various ways to explore one's neighborhood, city, or the surrounding towns by making a list of activities one has never done and places one has never visited.
Visiting new stores, shops, and businesses in one's area
Robbins encourages listeners to think about all the stores in their town they've never visited, like coffee shops, junk shops, antique stores, secondhand clothing places, and even a local place making wooden salad bowls featured on Oprah's favorite list. She emphasizes that even simply walking down the main street and popping into unfamiliar stores can be a part of the exploration.
Exploring new neighborhoods, streets, and paths by foot, bike, or car
Exploring new parts of your town or city is also suggested. Turning down streets you've never been before or trying out different walking trails can offer new scenery and sometimes lead to amazing discoveries such as farms or fresh produce stands. Robbins admits she had never explored Southern Vermont despite visiting regularly and suggests going down new streets or trying different paths to explore these areas.
Discovering museums, art galleries, libraries, and public spaces
As for cultural experiences, Robbins suggests that there are likely museums, art galleries, and public spaces that have not yet been visited. She recalls rarely going to the Museum of Fine Ar ...
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The "Never Been There, Never Done That" Game as a Life-Shaking Exploration
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Counterarguments
- Habitual patterns can provide comfort, stability, and efficiency in life, which are also valuable for well-being.
- Routine and predictability can be particularly important for individuals with certain conditions, such as autism, where sudden changes can be distressing rather than joyful.
- Anticipation can indeed boost mood, but over-planning or constantly seeking new experiences can also lead to stress and anxiety for some people.
- Not everyone may have the financial resources or physical ability to engage in new activities, which can make the "Never Been There, Never Done That" game less accessible.
- Exploring new places and trying new things can be enriching, but it can also lead to a sense of dissatisfaction with one's current life or surroundings if not balanced with gratitude for the familiar.
- Cultural institutions and new experiences are valuable, but they are not the only means to achieve personal growth or happiness; introspection and deepening existing relationships can be equally fulfilling.
- Trying new foods and recipe ...
Actionables
- Turn your daily commute into a learning expedition by choosing a different landmark or point of interest each week to explore for 10-15 minutes before or after work. This could be anything from a historical plaque to a public sculpture, giving you a bite-sized adventure regularly.
- Organize a monthly "mystery meal" with friends where each person is responsible for bringing a dish from a cuisine none of you have tried before. This encourages culinary exploration and social connection, turning a regular get-together into a novel experience.
- Start a personal "no repeats week" where you commit to not ...
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The Benefits of Exploring One's Own Backyard
In her musings, Robbins encourages listeners to recognize the value and excitement that exploring one's immediate surroundings can provide.
Rediscovering the hidden gems and vibrant community in one's local area
Through her own experiences, Robbins illustrates that local areas, often perceived as mundane, are akin to an anthill — seemingly quiet on the outside but teeming with life beneath the surface. She recounts her earlier misconception that Southern Vermont lacked activities, only to realize that it holds an active community and many undiscovered experiences.
Recognizing that familiar places often have more to offer than meets the eye
Through the "Never Been There, Never Done That" game, Robbins suggests that familiar places often have layers yet to be explored. This initiative prompts individuals to view their own life and surroundings as brand new, unveiling a sense of wonder. Robbins finds that it's an opportunity to tap into the great things in life that might be overlooked.
Finding a sense of adventure and wonder in the everyday
Robbins recognizes the chance for adventure by visiting local shops, such as the unassuming wooden bowl store that reveals exceptional craftsmanship. She uncovers places like the Clark Art Institute and implies that listeners can discover similar cultural treasures in their vicinity. This exploration fosters a thrill comparable to traveling to an unknown city and can shift the mundane into a fascinating daily adventure.
Gaining a boost in mood, energy, and sense of purpose
Robbins highlights the psychological and emotional benefits of engaging with one's environment anew.
Planning new local experiences provides an immediate mood lift
Robbins asserts that the mere act of planning to explore your local area can introduce excitement and lift your mood. She emphasizes that set ...
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The Benefits of Exploring One's Own Backyard
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Clarifications
- The Clark Art Institute, also known as the Clark, is an art museum and research institution in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It houses a diverse collection of European and American art spanning several centuries. The institute offers various educational programs and serves as a center for research and academic study in the arts. The Clark was founded in 1955 by Robert Sterling Clark and his wife, Francine, both avid art collectors.
- Engaging with one's environment anew can lead to psychological and emotional benefits by providing a fresh perspective on familiar surroundings. This process can stimulate curiosity, creativity, and a sense of discovery, which in turn can boost mood, energy levels, and overall well-being. By ex ...
Counterarguments
- While exploring local areas can be enriching, it may not provide the same level of cultural exposure and learning opportunities as traveling to new, diverse locations.
- Some individuals may live in areas where resources are limited, and the opportunities for exploration and engagement are not as abundant or accessible.
- The concept of finding adventure in the everyday might not resonate with everyone, as some people may find greater joy in the anticipation and experience of traveling to far-off destinations.
- The "Never Been There, Never Done That" game assumes that all familiar places have undiscovered layers, which might not be the case for smaller or less diverse communities.
- The psychological benefits of local exploration, such as mood and energy boosts, can be subjective and may not occur for everyone, as some individuals might derive more positive effects from other activities.
- Planning and trying new local experiences might not be feasible for everyon ...
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