When we were kids, we were learning new things all the time. In school or after-school classes, we learned Algebra, how to act, or how the solar system works. Now that we’re adults, we might feel as though our learning days are over. But the question is, should they be?

Continually learning new things can be good for us. To better understand why to check out the following reasons.

Why You Should:

Get More Creative

We don’t always exercise the creative side of our brain. You might be more “left brained” than others, but you still have a creative side: it’s part of human nature. We should dust off our creative streak on a regular basis since new situations can force our brain to think in unique ways. When we challenge our brain, it can help keep creative juices flowing.

Face Your Fears

As kids, we had to face our fears all the time. We had to visit the family with the big scary dog, go camping with bugs, and take swimming lessons even when we hated them. Now that we’re grown, however, no one is pushing us to face our fears. If we’re not careful, we could get complacent. A new skill can help push you past your comfort zone, whether it’s rock climbing with a fear of heights or joining a debate team with a fear of public speaking.

Become a More Valuable Employee

New skills not only make you a more interesting person; they also diversify your abilities. Those new public speaking skills could make you an asset at company meetings, or a better sales rep on the floor. When you branch out into new skills, you not only improve your life, you improve your work life as well. When a new passion project could get you a raise in the long run, why say no?

Meet New People

When you learn new skills, you often have to meet new people to do it. While you could try to teach yourself Bollywood dancing off a youtube video, you’ll have more fun and better success in a real classroom. A new skill gives you the opportunity to meet new people, and those relationships could even turn into new friendships. A good social life is important for your well-being, so a new group of friends could be just what you need.

Know Yourself Better

You know yourself better than anyone, but that doesn’t mean you know yourself fully. Knowing yourself has been a subject in philosophy for a very long time, at least since Socrates. (He was the one who said, “Know thyself.”) When you learn a new skill, you dive more deeply into your likes and dislikes, how you handle changes, and how you make decisions.

Your journey towards trying something new doesn’t stop for these reasons. Now, you have to find something new to work on, a passion project or new skill.

How to Do It:

Learn a New Skill

One of the easiest ways to try something new is to learn a new skill. You could get better at cooking, take dance lessons in Naperville, IL, or finally learn how to knit. Most new skills are fun and engaging, so whether you take up watercolor painting, diving, watch repairing, or gardening, take time to learn a skill you never possessed before. You’ll be grateful you took cooking lessons every time you sit down for dinner, and you could even start up a side business of your watch repair service.

Get a Better Degree

You might not think of yourself as a student anymore, but a better degree is the perfect chance to try something new. If you’re discontented with your job, seek out new opportunities. Maybe you want to work more with people or work less with people. A new career could help you solve your workplace woes. Plus, depending on your job, you could make more money after an Associate Degree in Nursing program than you do at your current job.

Form New Relationships

When you meet new people, they expand your horizon. A new group of friends might love backpacking, strategy board games, indie computer games, crafting, or musical theater. When you team up with a new group of people, you start to share your passions with each other. You’ll teach them about the things you love, and they’ll get you excited about good coffee, 60s rock, or The Lord of the Rings. Making new friends is a great way to try something new since your new group will automatically take you along for the ride.

Pick Up a New Hobby

Hobbies are more than just a new set of skills. They’re unique passion projects, something you’ll enjoy doing in your free time, probably for the rest of your life. You might take a quilting class only to realize that quilting has become a huge passion, or take surfing lessons in Waikiki and spend all your free weekends at the beach. You might discover you love photography, or that you’re surprisingly good at football. Even a hobby of regularly traveling can help you expand your experiences.

Create Something

One of the best ways to try something new is to create something. You might not be much of an artist, but even a Pinterest fail is a fun experience. Try to craft your own coffee table. Make candles with a friend this weekend. Make your own jewelry out of unique beads, or even antique buttons. You could even try your own residential construction project, like changing out your windows or remodeling your bathroom on your own.

Trying something new should be a regular part of our lives. Every year, we should pick up a new skill, and every week, we should say yes to something that puts us out of our comfort zone. Learning new skills can be an important part of our growth as human beings, so find a new hobby to explore this week.