When was the last time you challenged yourself to try something new? Finding the time between work and life to pick up a new language or learn to tap dance a la Catherine Zeta Jones may seem an impossible task.
But stretching your brain to pick up new talents, doesn’t only make you sound more interesting down at the pub, it is officially good for your health.
Not only can it raise your dopamine levels, give you a sense of purpose and help your mental health, scientists at Alzheimer's Research UK say keeping your brain sharp by trying new activities can potentially stave off the devastating disease.
If anyone is up for trying something new in their 50s, it is Girlguiding ambassador and Celebrity Masterchef winner Angellica Bell. She overcame her habit of saying no to things as she moved into her Second Act and now there is nothing stopping her.
“I do love taking on new challenges,” she tells Ateh Jewel on the Second Act podcast. “When I decided to try Celebrity MasterChef, that was a massive turning point for me.
"It was great to win a trophy, but it was much bigger and deeper for me because that's the first thing I'd ever won.
“I was out of my comfort zone and I’d said no to that twice.
“It was more about I had this challenge and I could either go into it with fear and think, this is too much me, or I could just be like, actually, let the food do the talking.
"I quite like that feeling of being out of my comfort zone. It is quite addictive, especially if, you know you can do something and get the result.”
She didn’t stop there. Picking up skills that she didn’t get the chance to learn in her childhood was next on her list. By freeing herself of the fear of failure or looking silly, she mastered them and has continued to find joy in testing herself again and again.
“I've learned to ride a bike as an adult. I learned to swim as an adult. I'm looking for a cello now... I took my grade three a couple of years ago, so I'm all about carpe diem. Seize the moment,” the One Show host says.
© PAShe reveals in the podcast how it was seeing close friends pass away at a young age formed her positive outlook on life.
“I want my day to be fun, that’s how I want to live my life every day.
“I live my life as if it's the last. And that's not morbid. That's not bad. It's just that when I walk out of here, if something happens to me, I want you to know I’ve lived the good life.”
Angellica Bell is an ambassador for Girlguiding, the UK's largest youth organisation for girls, and hosts their Big Gig at Wembley Arena on October 10.
Listen to the Second Act podcast, now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts and Youtube.
