We can sometimes be a little too focused on keeping things the way they are. But doing or trying new things can be very refreshing, so why the reluctance? And how can you best go about changing habits that are deeply ingrained? You can read more about it in our Mindfulness Workbook. Below is a snippet of the article.
Although we are creatures of habit, some people are more scared than others of doing new things. This is influenced by character and personality traits such as openness to experience. “The same is true for animals: some apes are far more inquisitive and investigative than others,” says Sterck. “In my research, I have found that some apes like it if there is a set routine, while others show curiosity about new things.” Van Vugt also confirms that there are individual differences among humans, and what’s more, he says, there are always leaders and followers in a group. “Leaders are less influenced by the group and do their own thing. The followers hold back a little, are more conservative and seek the safety of a group. The majority of humans are followers, research has also shown, and that is a personality type that is not well suited to undertaking new activities. When you try to encourage people with a conservative personality to constantly do new things, as often happens nowadays, it creates friction. You are taking them out of their comfort zone, which leads to stress and frustration.”
Read more in the article ‘Breaking routines’ from Flow Mindfulness Workbook.
Text: Sjoukje van de Kolk Photography: Stocksy/Jovana Rikalo
