There’s a famous poem by Rainer Maria Rilke about coming across the headless torso of a statue of Apollo. Faced with the broken divine and its power to transform, the reader is told: “You must change your life.” Rilke wrote the poem in 1908, so I know he didn’t mean to describe what it’s like to renew a learner’s permit for the third time before turning 34. But a few months ago, as I stared at an overturned CPR mannequin in a corner of the midtown-Manhattan DMV office, I felt that, in a spiritual way, he had captured this exact moment.

“Honey, it’s past time,” said the woman behind the desk after she took my photo for an ID most often associated with high school sophomores. What she meant, of course, was: You have to change your life.

Until then, I had refused to feel the embarrassment I knew I was supposed to feel about being a certified adult who couldn’t drive. I was a born-and-raised New Yorker, devoted to intellectual pursuits! That excuse didn’t work so well on my long-suffering husband, who once had to drive me from Manhattan to Montreal and back. He pitched getting a license as a doable New Year’s resolution. He argued in mild prepper terms about disaster and survival. Growing more desperate, he told me he’d accept driving lessons as his own birthday present.

There was also a stronger case based on research—one he was probably too busy chauffeuring me around to make: that it’s good for people to learn and master new things. That it stretches our minds. This past winter, the journal Neurology published new data showing that people who seek out intellectual enrichment seem to slow down the onset of Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline, and also lower their overall risk of developing disease and impairment. Around the same time, researchers at Trinity College Dublin found that engaging in “stimulating activities” in midlife can reduce the risk of dementia later, even for people who carry a genetic marker linked to the condition. Other studies suggest that learning can make us more resilient and engaged, boosting the brain’s ability to adapt and solve problems. Post-pandemic, some research has shown that seniors who push themselves to learn new skills experience lower rates of loneliness and depression.

Taken together, the results are refreshingly low-tech. While biohackers have been gobbling up unregulated supplements and injecting themselves with complex peptide compounds that sound like auto-generated passwords, current science seems to conclude that the secret to a longer, healthier life might be as simple as developing a genuine interest. Somehow, I paid no attention to any of that. Life as a passenger princess suited me just fine. But then we had a child, and as he babbled in his car seat, I finally felt a sharp sense of inadequacy. Here I was, about to raise a son to strive, explore, and leap out of his comfort zone, and I was still refusing to drive an automatic car?

A period of severe sleep deprivation didn’t seem like the best time to heed Rilke’s call, so I waited a few months. I read alarming stories about how women’s brains shrink during pregnancy, watched my son expand his world from the floor and bassinet to music class and solid food, and soon after met Vince from VMARE Driving School.

In the car with Vince, I adjusted the mirrors and tapped the brakes. Then he told me to turn off the hazard lights and pull away from the curb. I had imagined worksheets and preparation. Instead, I was cruising down West End Avenue within 15 minutes of touching the pedals and telling Vince that I had once failed a standardized spatial awareness test so badly that the principal called my parents to ask if something was wrong at home.

“You’re fine,” Vince kept insisting. And I was shocked to realize that I was.

“People have this feeling that…”Author Tom Vanderbilt says, “People have a quiver of skills. You can add to that quiver not to show off, but to build inner confidence.” The joy of feeling competent is one of psychologist Rachel Wu’s selling points as she encourages her patients to learn new skills in adulthood. Wu, who teaches at the University of California, Riverside, insists this isn’t just a nice hobby—it’s essential. You either keep learning or you decline. She points to two recent studies she led, which show that simply taking in new information can boost brain function and thinking skills. “In the short term, you might not feel happier because you feel more clueless,” she says (and yes, that’s true). “But in the long run, it really helps you adapt. It’s about being independent.” There’s also solid evidence that learning can change and improve basic brain structures. One study found that London taxi drivers, who have to memorize detailed city maps, had larger hippocampi. Another showed that people who learned to juggle three balls increased gray matter in their occipitotemporal cortex.

An hour later, I had driven 40 blocks without any problems. I turned. I reversed. I felt a happiness that I knew was out of proportion to what I’d actually done. It wasn’t like the satisfaction of writing a beautiful sentence or finishing a long run—it was more like putting together a European appliance. There was a clear task. I finished it. It was nice to think I was lowering my chances of becoming a shaky senior, but there was an unexpected bonus: the time itself felt dreamy, more enjoyable and fulfilling than the hours that usually slip by on ordinary mornings.

The lesson felt packed with information and input, something Martin Wiener, an associate professor of cognitive and behavioral neuroscience at George Mason University, would later explain. “It has to do with how we store memories,” he tells me. “If you’re creating a lot of memories, an experience seems to last longer and feel more significant for a longer time.” Marc Wittmann, who studies time perception and is a research fellow at the Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health in Germany, adds that the more focused we are in the moment, the more rewarding an event can feel. That’s why a weekend trip with friends feels luxurious, while a weekend of errands is a forgettable blur.

The lessons went on, and I got better. I learned to parallel park, which I told friends about like it was a story from a faraway place. (“And then! You turn the wheel all the way to the left!”) This confession led others to share their own new skills—some even more impressive. One friend picked up chess on a whim and now notices a strategic edge in other parts of his life. I know people who have taken up knitting, joined mah-jongg groups, or learned to ski in their 40s. Writer Tom Vanderbilt spent a whole year as a beginner, exploring the power of learning by trying hobbies like singing and surfing. He liked it so much he wrote the book Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning about it. “I think people feel like they have a quiver of skills,” he says. “You can reach for an arrow and add to that quiver not to brag, but for inner confidence.” In his own life, the overall effect of his experience was almost magical. “It’s a cheat code for renewing yourself,” he says. “You put yourself in new situations, and you have to become a different person, both physically and mentally.”

Toward the end of April, Vince told me I was ready for the road test. The plan is for me to be a licensed driver before you read this. If all goes well, my son—who is about to turn 18 months old—will grow up knowing he has two parents who know how to drive.I’ve never stuck with a meditation practice, and no one would ever call me “centered.” But a few weeks ago, when my son was crying over some small insult, it hit me that I should show him how powerful taking a few deep breaths can be. He puckered his mouth into a little O of surprise and started laughing. Then we blew warm air into each other’s faces for a luxurious 30 seconds before he squirmed off my lap to find his fire truck.

Sitting there with him felt ordinary and beautiful at the same time—nothing new, but still a lovely swirl of emotion. It’s the kind of feeling I only seem to get in very specific moments: stepping out of a freezing movie theater into the late-summer heat, just as the sun starts to melt orange over the horizon. Waking up first on vacation and sneaking into the kitchen to make coffee. Waiting at a red light that’s about to turn green, with the whole open road ahead of you.

Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about how trying new things can expand your mind written in a natural helpful tone

BeginnerLevel Questions

1 What do you mean by expand your mind
It means growing your perspective learning new ways to think and breaking out of your usual mental habits Its like giving your brain a new set of glasses to see the world differently

2 Why would I want to try something new if Im already comfortable
Comfort feels good but it can also create a mental rut Trying new things keeps your brain flexible boosts your creativity and often makes you feel more alive and confident

3 Whats the easiest way to start trying new things
Start small Try a new recipe take a different route to work listen to a genre of music you usually skip or read a book about a topic you know nothing about

4 Im scared of failing How do I get over that
Reframe failure as data You arent failingyoure learning what doesnt work Every expert was once a beginner who made mistakes The goal isnt perfection its growth

5 What if I try something and I hate it
Thats still a win Now you know exactly what you dont like which is valuable You also built the mental muscle of trying which makes it easier to try the next thing

Intermediate Advanced Questions

6 How does trying new things actually change my brain
It builds new neural pathways Your brain is like a forest the more you walk the same path the more wornin it gets Trying new things forces your brain to create new trails improving neuroplasticity and keeping your mind sharp

7 Ive tried new hobbies before but lost interest quickly What am I doing wrong
You might be picking things that dont align with your natural curiosity Instead of forcing a hobby ask What problem do I want to solve or What have I always been secretly curious about Also give yourself permission to quitnot every new thing needs to become a lifelong passion

8 Can trying new things help with anxiety or depression
It can be a helpful tool but its not a cure Novel experiences can disrupt negative thought