Is your inbox full of messages like "New Year, New You," encouraging you to set resolutions to transform yourself? This message directly contradicts nature's cycle in the winter of restoration.
"Periods of rest and inactivity are just as important as periods of great effort, just as the silence between the notes is part of the music." –Bob Sullivan
I came across an article I had pulled out of an issue of Yoga Journal a few years ago that talks about the continuous cycle of the routine, the rut, and the reroute. We have a routine that eventually becomes stale, leaving us stuck, and then we make subtle shifts to integrate into a new routine. Then, the cycle starts over again.
Finding ourselves in a rut could be a sign that it's time for a change. Trying to do a complete 180 (pushing for too much change, too fast) can be detrimental. We likely won't reach our goals and spiral into guilt or shame. On the flip side, life is constantly changing, and if we stay in our old ways of being, we'll never grow or evolve.
There's a delicate balance to be found by discerning what parts of our routine no longer serve us and keep us stuck and what parts motivate us. Some routines provide a necessary structure that supports making small, incremental changes.
Making small shifts is the key. What works for one person might not work for another. Finding what's best for you could take time. Things come and go from our routines. Each stage of life might require something different. What worked once might not anymore. Be patient. Introduce one thing and give yourself time to see if it works for you or not.
I recently noticed that I was getting caught up in this idea that productivity meant spending many hours at my desk working on my business. I was barely moving throughout the day. I recalled a habit before my knee surgery of taking a hike or trail run at least once during the work week. I set a goal of implementing a mid-week outing back into my routine. I also resumed setting aside 30 minutes on Monday afternoons to dance (another former habit that had fallen out of my routine post-surgery).
I'm only a few weeks in, and those small changes are already working. I'm meeting my daily step goal, and moving my body is awakening my creativity. After a jog yesterday, I submitted a pitch for a magazine article I'd been putting off all week.
Take a moment this week to consider your routine. Which of your habits feel supportive, and are there any that make you feel stuck? What is one slight improvement you can make to refresh your routine? Try it out and see how it goes. If it doesn't work, tomorrow is a new day. Be kind to yourself, and remember that sometimes doing fewer things can be energizing.
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