The Sunday Scaries… Sunday Night Blues… Sunday Not-so-Fun Day… Call it whatever you may, but there is certainly a reason that rather bleak labels have been assigned to this experience. It is because you are not alone in the feelings of dread and impending doom that come along with heading into a new week. For a lot of people, the weekdays can feel stressful and overwhelming, but also simultaneously boring and monotonous. The sense of being on a hamster wheel throughout the week is rather deflating and even disheartening for many; and thus, a significant portion of the population begins the countdown each Monday morning for the return of the weekend.
And while it makes sense that weekends are more favorable due to the decrease in expectations and stress on those days, it is also worth considering that weekend days are more enjoyable because of the increase in time and opportunities to engage in adventures and exploration.
Not only is exploration fun and enjoyable, but it also reaps amazing results for your overall health and well-being. Pushing (or at least nudging) yourself outside of your comfort zone is incredibly valuable for your mental health, and here’s why:
Reduces stress: Going on an adventure is a fun and effective method to reduce stress, as it gets you out of your daily routine and often serves as a wonderful distraction from ongoing daily life stressors. Exposure to entertaining and exciting experiences also leads to an increase in feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters, which is helpful for improving overall mood states and general life satisfaction.
Increases creativity and problem-solving skills: Exploration often consists of trying new things and opening your mind up to new possibilities and viewpoints. It exposes you to new stimuli, which causes the brain to create new neural pathways. These new pathways increase the brain’s ability to think outside of the box, thus leading to enhanced creativity and problem-solving.
Improves self-esteem: Allowing yourself to explore outside of your comfort zone can be really good for your self-esteem, as it often leads to feelings of accomplishment, fulfillment, and even pride. Engaging in exploration results in increased knowledge and life experiences, which promotes feelings of both competence and confidence.
Enhances relationships: Discovering new people, places, and things is valuable for enhancing relationship with both yourself and others. Exploring solely can lead to invaluable moments of introspection and self-discovery. Moreover, exploring with others, furnishes opportunities for deep and thought-provoking discussions, which leads to stronger connections and cherished memories. Whether alone or with others, your mental health will thank you for finding new opportunities to seek out the incredible life experiences just waiting to be discovered.