When was the last time you did something really different? Pushed yourself out of your comfort zone, or challenged yourself to try something new?
These questions are at the heart of the 10 Dares Challenge, the brainchild of members of the Exchange, who set out to design a ‘Future Human’ event for South Australia’s Open State Festival last year.
They decided that our future selves are shaped by our actions today and came up with a range of dares, from canoeing and calligraphy to balloon flights and guitar lessons.
People once thought that as we got older, our brains had limited capacity to learn. We now know that our brains keep learning and changing, and that by taking on new challenges, we can reduce the risk of dementia and boost cognitive health.
One of the magical things about taking on these experiences is that we can slow our perception of time. We all remember how slowly the weeks passed as a child. Scientists believe that is because at that age our lives are packed with novelty – new people, new learning, new places. As grown-ups, we can dial up the difference in our days just by sampling some new foods, taking an unfamiliar route, or trying a new hairstyle.