Balancing routine and flow

Are you a creature of habit, clinging to the comfort and reliability of routine?

Or do you flow through joyful and sometimes anxiety-inducing spontaneity?

I’ve been getting a crash course lately in how BOTH play a very important role and can be hugely beneficial at different phases of our lives.

Lately, my focus has very much been on just doing what feels good in the moment.

Coming out of a relationship where I compromised so many core parts of my being, to now being on my own for over 6 months, I’m really taking advantage of this newfound freedom.

Dancing the night away (salsa, belly dance, I want it all!!), swimming in the beach at night under the full moon, meeting so many new people and allowing them to be mirrors for my growth.

It’s all created so much EXPANSION for me.

However, it’s also been a distraction. Chasing one joyful pleasurable experience after another makes it hard to sit down and focus when the time calls for that.

I’ve noticed I’m choosing more and more to live spontaneously and abandon all sense of routine, which has been exhilarating, but is starting to feel a bit unstable and unsettling.

Can you relate to this feeling? Knowing something’s gotta give, that it’s not sustainable.

What do we do?

First, we can say THANK YOU!

Awareness is such a gift. When we’re tuned in to how our actions are affecting us, we know exactly when we need to shift.

For me, it’s time to bring back routine to feel grounded. It’s time to return to morning meditation and walks, afternoon workouts, and peaceful relaxation time before bed.

I’m not going to completely relinquish my joyful pursuits, but I will recommit to starting and ending my day in a meaningful way. I’ve found this to be the game-changer in creating what we want to experience.

How can you start or end your day intentionally?

Or do you find yourself on the flip side?

Perhaps you’re TOO committed to routine, feeling restless, bored, and uninspired.

If that’s the case, consider how you can switch things up.

If your morning is usually rushed, how can you slow it down?

If you normally eat lunch at your desk, perhaps you can go out with a friend or colleague, or sit under a tree and read a book.

Go throughout your day with the question, “How can I do this differently or make it more exciting?”

Routine ensures we stick to healthy habits that make a positive difference in our every day, but sometimes it can stifle us.

Allow yourself to expand! Shift as you need to, and know you can always return to your routine, or lack thereof, whenever you want!

YOUR TURN: Where do you find yourself currently? Are you happily in a place of routine or spontaneity, or are you craving more of one of these? If the latter, how will you commit to giving yourself more of what you need this week?