Try New Things
Routines are great. They help you build habits, bring structure to your day, and help you check off the boxes of all the things you need to accomplish each day.
Following a routine has been shown to help*:
Improve mental health
Get sick less often
Help children's development
Reduce stress
Improve overall health
Increase productivity
Lead to a more meaningful life
Despite all of the benefits, following a routine can become…well, a bit…routine.
Depending on how religious and detailed your routine is, it could lead to finding your Self in a bit of a rut.
The same breakfast. The same workout routine. The same path to work. The same meetings. The same lunch. The same. The same. The same…
Doing the same things every day in the same order may lead to efficiency but it can also lead to becoming a robot.
If your routine leaves little room or time for experiencing new things and you find your Self bored, lacking excitement for each day, and just going through the motions break your routine and try something new.
Start small…
Take a different way to the office.
Wake up a little earlier to do something new in your morning routine.
Sleep in a little later and shift something from your morning routine until later in the day.
Try a new restaurant for lunch.
Get a different drink at the local coffee shop.
Try a new exercise program or gym.
By trying something new you don’t lose the benefits of following a routine but you add a little bit of flavor to life. It’s exciting to try something new—think about the last time you visited somewhere new. You may have been a little nervous about what you might see, who you might meet, and what you might do. But, your nervousness was balanced out by the excitement of what you might see, who you might meet, and what you might do.
Not only will trying something new bring excitement to your life but it will also allow you to see new things. If you deviate from the same route to work/school/store that you always take you will see new parts of your town that you’ve been missing. Maybe you’ll find a new park, a new coffee shop, or a new mural on the side of a building that you’ve never seen because you’ve never traveled that route before. The possibilities of what you might discover are endless because there are infinite ways to get from point A to point B—there are infinite new worlds for you to discover just on your way to work, school, or the store.
As you venture into a new coffee shop you will meet new people—not that the locals at your regular spot aren’t great but in meeting new people you will be exposed to new ideas and conversations. New ideas, conversations, and interests can lead to growth and move you closer to your authentic life.
Don’t abandon your routine…or maybe blow it up and start a new one—listen to your intuition…but don’t let your routine turn you into a robot. A routine is supposed to enhance and improve your life, not control and suck the life out of it.
Today’s your first chance to try something new…what’s it going to be?
See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,
JC
