The reality:

It feels like something that we all need to do. Find new things, new outlets, new routine, new whatever. Break the monotony. We get so routined in our day to day life. Monday to Friday. 9-5. Walk the dog, pay the bills. Blah blah blah. Our routines are good. They keep us moving, but they do get a little too “routine” don’t they?

I am all too guilty of this myself. Getting stuck in the same habits day after day, and before long entire weeks have gone by. Weeks!

Breaking the cycle:

Now like I said routine is good, it keeps us on track in parts of our lives, but can completely sidetrack the opportunity to try something new, because we don’t “fit that in” in our weekly schedule. We don’t set aside time to take up something new, or escape on a 24hr adventure, we barely allow time to try a new recipe for dinner.

Why is that? Are we too inundated with our work life, that we don’t give ourselves the opportunity to think past the end of the work day? Are our lives too consumed with distractions that we don’t see the bigger picture? Probably both. Our life demands continue to grow and grow and there is often less and less time that we can set aside to take on new challenges. It’s time to break the cycle!

And how?

Committing. Establishing time each day or each week to “start something” or “quit something”. Harness a moment to reflect on what makes you happy, what have you always wanted to do, but never “got into”. Hiking. Piano lessons. Adventure racing. Whatever. Giving yourself the time and space to be you, and putting a bit of distance between you the person and you the task doer of your life commitments. You can be both, but they are often not the same person, and that is ok.

So go. Set aside some time to get into lawn bowling, gardening or whatever. But recognize the importance of taking that time to be yourself.

Cheers!