Variety

The "variety is the spice of life" meme is especially pervasive because it really captures the essence of how habituation drives us to want to try new things. Something that has a high reward salience the first few times you do it quickly experiences diminishing returns.

Neuroplasticity is a way of life.

Happiness is maximized when we have a variety of things we enjoy doing, and also seek out and enjoy new experiences simply for their novelty.

Moderation and Addiction

Moderation is easier when you do many different things. Before you do any one thing in excess, you move on to something else. This makes addiction unlikely. This principle was demonstrated in the "Rat Park" experiment, where rats that were given a wide variety of simulating activities to choose from would ignore the unlimited free drugs they were provided, while those in unstimulating environments quickly became addicted.

Maximizing Neuroplasticity

Intentionally seeking variety helps the brain maintain neuroplasticity, keeping the neural pathways open to learning throughout life.

Practicing intentional novelty-seeking can make you addicted to variety, to the point where trying a new thing become easier and more rewarding than repeating old habits. Trying a new food is more appealing than even your favorite meal. Exploring new places is more exciting than vacationing in the same place every year. Learning a new game is more fun than playing one you're already expert at.

This study on self-directed neuroplasticity provides a therapeutic mindfulness technique for increasing neuroplasticity called Awareness Integration Therapy, and these articles [1][2][3][4][5] give evidence and examples for now novelty-seeking increases neuroplasticity and improves mental health.

Novelty Seeking in Practice

It requires significant effort and intentionality to rewire the brain to prefer novelty, since there is a natural tendency to want to repeat the things that successfully brought us happiness in the past. Indeed, that is the brain's primary function! But once you strongly reinforce the concept of novelty as the primary source of long-term happiness and mental well-being, trying new things becomes the habit. It is the well-worn neural pathway that is the default reaction to most stimuli. By constantly practicing novelty, you prevent all other thoughts and behaviors from becoming too repetitive.

Modifying your daily habits to avoid repetition is a great way to apply everyday mindfulness to keep your neurons fit without having to go out of your way.

Take several different routes to work instead of one
Choose new and different foods when dining out or cooking
Use your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth, use a mouse, play catch, etc.
Vary your exercise routine
Vary the locations and types of activities you do with friends
Change up your music genres and playlists
Seek out new media instead of re-watching old favorites
Read books!! Mix up the genres.

More extreme ways to maximize your neuroplasticity include:

Learn new languages
Travel the world
Learn to play an instrument
Play new sports
Get a degree in a new field
Start a new career
Write a book, in a new genre if you're already a writer
Convert to a new religion (or just learn its rituals)
Psychedelics

The thought of undergoing multiple full religious conversions just for the neuroplasticity is a fun one. Anyone who has tried it should report on the experience here.

Generalized Enjoyment

The more you try new things and find those things to be enjoyable, the more your brain generalizes the concept of enjoyability itself. Eventually you learn that pretty much anything in life can be enjoyed with the right attitude. Have you ever met someone that fully embraces life? That constantly has new and exciting adventures, learns new skills, travels to new places, and makes new friends? Chances are they have a lot of money, but they have also made the wise decision to spend it on new and varied experiences, which allowed them to generalize the concept of enjoyment and embrace all of life's pleasures with gusto.

Embracing every genre of music is a good way to increase neuroplasticity and generalize the principle of enjoyment. Now that every track ever recorded is available to stream at any point in time, there is no excuse not to listen to a wide variety of music.

Food is another domain where you can practice generalized enjoyment every day, since everyone needs to eat. Intentionally seeking and embracing the amazing variety of weird and wonderful flavors available to us is something anyone can and should do.

Anthony Bourdain embodies this ethos.

Anthony's Most Memorable Meals

Variety is a Privilege

Of course it is a privileged position to be able to try enough new things to adopt this disposition. However, it is still within reach to most members of the middle class if they choose to seek it out. Fighting for economic justice for the underprivileged is also good for happiness. We should all work for a future where an abundant variety of fun activities are accessible to the vast majority of people. That's just good utilitarianism.

Emotional Variety is the Key to Happiness

Seeking and embracing the full spectrum of emotional experience is a key factor in achieving the long-term emotion we want the most. This episode of Hidden Brain - What's Better Than Being Happy? explores our tendency to live in an emotional monoculture, and how opening ourselves up to diverse emotional experiences vital to flourishing. This isn't to say that we should make ourselves sad if we've managed to go a long time without a major setback, but rather we should allow ourselves to experience these emotions when the situations call for them and not suppress them, or feel guilty when we have them because we're failing to be happy.