They say variety is the spice of life. Meaning, we need new experiences, challenges and exciting adventures to keep our lives joyful. Sometimes, we can get bogged down in the routine of our lives that it becomes just that- a routine. This can lead to boredom, lack of motivation, isolation and even depression. 

“When people are bored,” says one researcher, “they’re disengaged from satisfying activity and more likely to become internally focused in a negative, ruminative cycle.”Of course, most people who are depressed, usually don't feel like doing much. But it's interesting to know that not having much variety in our lives can lead to mental health issues.

Humans are not built to act like machines, doing routine and repetitive things constantly. We need to push ourselves in order to grow and feel like we are being the best version of ourselves.

Here are 7 ways we can add some spice to our life:

1. Challenge yourself.

Challenging yourself means going beyond your usual capabilities to embark on a new skill that you haven't yet mastered or even tried before. This could be cutting out soft drink from your diet, learning a new language, perhaps vowing to smile at every stranger you walk by. 

As we are challenged, we are increasing our confidence, capabilities and feel more motivated for future challenges. 

2. Try something new every week.

This is a fun goal to keep to increase the variety in your life. It could be as simple as taking a different route on your usual walk, trying a new meal for lunch or taking up a new sport or hobby. The more variety we have in our lives, the less mundane and repetitive our life will feel.

3. Set personal goals.

Some of us could be running fast to nowhere. When we don't feel like we have a certain purpose in life or any goals to work up to, we kind of feel lost. Feeling lost makes us lose motivation in our daily tasks and our confidence decreases. 

Setting goals for ourselves not only motivates us to do better, it also gives us hope that through challenging ourselves, we will get rewarded. It also makes us feel like we have a certain purpose in life and keeps us from feeling like our daily life is just on repeat.

4. Contribute to society.

It's easy to be constantly thinking of 'me, me, me', after all, we are the centre of our own worlds. But this is where people fall into the traps of depression, anxiety and loneliness. 

Being too self-centred can create a feeling of 'me against everyone'. We are social creatures and we are born with the innate qualities of compassion and wanting to help others. This truely makes us feel joyful and widens our sense of purpose in this world. We realise we are not just on the earth for ourselves, but also for others.

Doing things like volunteering, donating to charities, getting involved with the local community or simply being open to helping friends and family out, shows us the true essence of life and creates happiness and diversity.

5. Get creative.

As we get older, it's easy for us to stop doing the things that excited us as kids. Whether it’s writing, baking, gardening, sewing, or playing music, a creative outlet can really improve your mental clarity. Creative activities are literally therapy for your mind. 

We usually make excuses for not doing these things  because we think we're too busy or too old or we just get so caught up in our usual routine. 

CNN reports that engaging in creative tasks protects neuron growth by promoting the production of new neurons, which are crucial for maintaining a healthy central nervous system. So even if it's for an hour a week, add something creative in your routine!

6. Overcome fear.

Most of our dreams and hopes for our lives are tucked away in a little box called fear. To live a life of variety and joy it is so important we overcome our fears, which are mostly just mental blocks like doubt and negative thoughts. 

When we push through the fear we can pursue the things we know are going to make us happy. If we live everyday in our comfort zones, we will never grow and we will constantly be haunted with the 'what ifs'.

7. Surround yourself with positive people.

A positive support system is so important to having a fruitful life. We learn most about ourselves from our relationships and encounters with other people. As well as this, having friends and family we can share our lives with, makes life feel a little less heavy and more enjoyable. 

We learn new things from our friends and family and we can also contribute positively to their lives. 

If you don't have a positive support system, try joining a local community group like a youth or church group, parent's groups or even a sports group to help you meet new people.

It's important to have a life that involves variety and excitement on top of the daily routine things. Having goals in place helps us work toward something and makes us feel more grounded and fulfilled.

We should be aware of the fact we could be living a mundane and routine life in order to make the relevant changes to avoid issues like depressing or isolation.

With love, 

Jacqui Zdravkovski.