The Predictable

Routines.  Good or bad?

Call them what you will: routines, practises, lifestyles, way of life, life style, etc.   Yet from the moment we were born and throughout our lives, we exist in a culture that revolves around a life structured by routines.  Without them, ambiguity ensues, and days tend to spin away, seemingly unproductive, leaving the feeling of exhaustion and dissatisfaction.  It is noteworthy to be aware of the pros and cons to being routinized.

Choices are the foundation to our life purpose and reveal our ‘WHY’.

Benefits

A routine is the secret sauce to striving life balance.  There is comfort in the arms of the predictable as it typically provides a haven of ‘rest’.   As most mothers know, even a baby thrives in a predictable environment; and the mother!

There is less stress, more productivity, better learning, and the development of habits.  Routines not only give structure to the day, but they eliminate the small decisions that can distract.

Expectations

Contrary to popular belief, predictability is a not a quick ‘fix’.  It is one step to achieving a balance in life, and space for creativity, inspiration and growth.  Pouring too much energy into a routinized life poses a threat to the individuality of who you are.

Furthermore, those habitual actions can lead you down the path to a time warp.  There, the seeds of boredom germinate.

Dis-services

Are you prone to falling in a Zombie mode, believing this is ‘the life’?

This is a culprit of a routinized life.  Creativity falters.  Life purpose fades.  Life balance is lost.  Loneliness prevails. Auto-pilot trumps!

Don’t be fooled by your routine.  Ask yourself if your routine is contributing to a sleepwalk through life, or is it creating a thriving life?   I challenge you to view your life through new lenses.  Be honest with yourself and rate how it is working for you.

Going…Beyond Excuses

Viktor Frankl, (a Holocaust survivor, psychiatrist, and neurologist) was a proponent for options.  He was an example of the affect choices have on the trajectory of our lives.  He made choices based on ‘intentions’ rather than resolutions, which was supported by what he understood his life purpose to be.

Flexibility is a life skill that fosters adaptability.  It is the sunshine to the day.  It supports the shaping of your life purpose.