Consistency vs Novelty

So many things these days are understood as spectrum phenomena. I think this pairing would fit into that as well. Neither is entirely dark, nor bright. They are both neutral, and people fall somewhere along a line according to what they need and function best with.

Consistency. That feeling you get when you can predict happenings in your world, count on things to unfold in manageable and understandable ways. Behavior that is habitual, ongoing, and reliable. Any time you want to build or break a habit, you are working with Consistency. Want to exercise more? Eat more vegetables? Floss your teeth regularly? Meditate more often? Consistency is your friend. Saying yes to these things on a regular basis, building routines that support regularity, and rewarding your developing track record are necessary.
Then there's the downside to Consistency. When your supportive routines become ruts, when the workout that jump-started you no longer gets results, when you realize you've been going through the motions in life and not fully engaging or being present with yourself and your actions, Consistency may have gotten unbalanced for you. Or when you're trying to break a bad habit or even an addictive behavior, consciously upsetting your routines and creating new ones is called for.

Novelty. When you try something new, not knowing if you're going to like it, or be good at it, or if it'll be a gigantic flop. Stretching your world beyond comfort zones. Beginner mind sees things as full of potential, realizing that you don't know everything in the world, that there is much to be learned/seen/discovered. Embracing the mystery. Anytime you want to try your hand at a new sport, or a new hobby, date someone new, or take a relationship to another level, you are interacting with Novelty. It can keep life and relationships fresh and exciting. It's been shown that doing something new with a partner can bring back feelings of romance that may have been gone since your honeymoon phase.
But too much Novelty and you lose your grounding. Seeking excitement and sensation can become an addiction in and of itself. Flitting from one adventure to the next means that you're not dedicating energy in a focused way toward life goals as much. Accomplishments take work and effort and time and grit, none of which are really good friends with Novelty.

So in the end, it's another case of balance. Got something you need or want to accomplish? Time to make friends with Consistency. Feeling bored and stagnant? Let Novelty take your hand and show you adventure. They're both fantastic and necessary, just very different energies.