What Is Something New You Can Try?

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Written By Jeffrey Braun

What Is Something New You Can Try?

One More Yes, One More No: Navigating Life’s Choices With Purpose

Most of us don’t need a brand-new life. We need a small interruption, something that breaks the loop.

Routine is useful. It keeps the bills paid and the body moving through the day. But when routine becomes the whole story, life can start to feel oddly airless. You wake up, do what you do, scroll what you scroll, talk to the same people about the same things, then wonder why your energy feels flat.

Trying something new isn’t a personality trait reserved for “adventurous people.” It’s a practical tool for anyone who feels stuck, bored, uninspired, or quietly restless. Novelty can shift how you think, how you feel, and what you notice, often without requiring a major life overhaul. Research and expert commentary have linked openness to new experiences with greater creativity and fresh ideas. (University of Bath)

And when you’re low, stressed, or numb, “doing something” can matter more than “thinking about it.” Behavioral Activation, an evidence-based approach used in mental health, centers on increasing engagement in meaningful, rewarding activities as a way to improve mood and momentum. (PMC)

The Start With One approach is the antidote to overthinking:

Start With One new thing, small enough to do today, meaningful enough to feel.
And then, crucially: choose one more yesandone more no to protect it.

Why “something new” works when motivation doesn’t

Novelty wakes up attention

A new experience forces your brain to pay attention. That’s why a walk in a different neighborhood feels mentally brighter than the same route. It’s not magic, it’s new input.

Psychology writers and researchers note that novelty can support creativity and perspective shifts by breaking habitual patterns and stimulating different kinds of thinking. (Psychology Today)

New activities create momentum

When people feel stuck, they often wait for clarity to arrive before acting. But action is frequently what creates clarity.

Behavioral Activation is built on a straightforward idea: increasing participation in rewarding activities can improve mood and reduce avoidance cycles. (PMC)

Small novelty is a confidence builder

Trying something new is less about “finding your passion” and more about proving something simple: I can change my day on purpose.

That’s where confidence comes from, not hype, but evidence.

The “One More Yes, One More No” framework

When people say they want to try something new, the barrier is rarely a lack of ideas. It’s a lack of space.

So use this two-part framework:

One More Yes

A tiny decision that moves you toward the kind of life you want.

One More No

A boundary that protects time, energy, money, or attention so the “yes” actually happens.

Examples:

  • Yes: join a beginner yoga class. No: no screens after 9 p.m. twice a week.

  • Yes: learn basic photography. No: one fewer streaming episode on weeknights.

  • Yes: volunteer once a month. No: no “automatic yes” to optional plans that drain you.

This is how novelty becomes sustainable instead of random.

What new thing should you try? Start with the right size

A common mistake is choosing something either too small to matter (“I’ll try a new latte”) or too big to sustain (“I’ll train for an Ironman”). The right “new” is doable and alive.

Here are categories you can choose from, designed for real life.

1) Creative and skill-based “new things” that fit into busy weeks

These are great if you want novelty without needing perfect weather, a partner, or a big budget.

  • Calligraphy or hand lettering: learn a few strokes, make it a calming ritual

  • Knitting / crocheting: tactile focus, visible progress (and great for anxious hands)

  • A beginner coding lesson: not to become a developer overnight, just to learn how logic feels

  • Upcycling: refinish one object; you’ll change your space and your mindset

“Try something new” lists often emphasize that the goal isn’t mastery on day one, it’s courage and consistency through small experiments. (100 New Things To Try)

Start With One (today): 20 minutes of a beginner tutorial. Stop while you still like it.

2) Wellness and fitness “new things” that build energy, not pressure

If your life feels mentally heavy, choose something that changes your body state. Movement is often the quickest way to change the channel.

  • Yoga or Pilates class (in-person or at home)

  • A “micro-adventure” walk: sunrise or twilight, no headphones for 10 minutes

  • A mindfulness trial: 10 minutes for 10 days

  • A puzzle habit: chess, Sudoku, jigsaw, attention training that feels like play

Start With One (today): a 10-minute walk in a slightly different direction.

3) Social and local exploration “new things” that make your world bigger

These help if your routine has shrunk your sense of possibility.

  • Be a tourist in your own city: museum, farmer’s market, botanical garden

  • Try one new cuisine: order one dish you’ve never had

  • Join one community event: book club, run club, workshop, or local talk

  • Volunteer once: community garden, shelter, food bank

Trying something new is often framed as a happiness and engagement lever, especially when it interrupts repetitive routines. (Tracking Happiness)

Start With One (this week): pick one location you’ve “meant to try” and put it on your calendar.

4) Small daily shake-ups for people who feel “too busy” for novelty

These are low-effort changes that still create a psychological shift:

  • Take a different route to work

  • Eat lunch outside once

  • Go somewhere alone (movie, café, museum)

  • Do a 24-hour “notification fast”

  • Switch one app or device setting to reduce mindless checking

Start With One (today): one hour with notifications off. Notice what changes.

A practical 7-day “Try Something New” plan

If you want structure without overwhelm:

Day 1: Choose your “One More Yes” (something new that’s doable).
Day 2: Choose your “One More No” (a boundary that creates space).
Day 3: Try the new thing for 20 minutes.
Day 4: Repeat it once, smaller (10 minutes counts).
Day 5: Tell one person what you’re trying (light accountability).
Day 6: Do it again—then write a 3-line reflection: What did I notice?
Day 7: Decide: continue, adjust, or replace. No guilt, just data.

That review mindset matters. Trying new things is not a vow. It’s an experiment.

Actionable takeaways you can use immediately

  • Pick the right “new”: small enough to start, meaningful enough to feel

  • Pair it with a boundary: one more yes + one more no

  • Schedule it once: if it’s not on the calendar, it’s a wish

  • Repeat before you replace: novelty compounds when you return 3–5 times

  • Track the effect, not perfection: mood, energy, confidence, connection

Conclusion: your life changes when your choices do

Trying something new isn’t about becoming a different person. It’s about returning to yourself, the part of you that still wants to learn, explore, and feel alive in your own days.

So don’t wait for the perfect idea.

Start With One.
One new action. One small yes. One protective no.
And let that be enough to change the direction of your week—quietly, on purpose.

📘 Get the book: Start With One: Small Steps to a Big Change → a.co/d/5uoSTEJ

🔗 The “One More Yes” Source Shelf — Links Behind the “Try Something New” Blog

Jeffrey Braun
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