Years ago, a woman in my Someday salon told me, “The juice has gone out of my life, and I’m not sure why.”
When she shared what her days consisted of, she realized every day looked the same.
Up at 6:30, breakfast, an hour commute, full day of meetings, lunch at her desk, an hour commute home. Followed by eating dinner while watching TV or scrolling social media, and bed at 11 pm.
Then the next day, rinse and repeat. No wonder her life has become a bit of a blah.
Days feeling “same old-same old” is a prescription for regrets.
The good news is, we can have a “do-over” on any given day. The key is to look at our daily routines and ask, “Is this serving or sabotaging me?”
Some routines serve a good purpose. For example, walking our dog every morning can be a GOOD routine. It is a mood LIFTER.
Some routines are mood DOWNERS. They may have started out serving a good purpose, but they’ve become rote.
A good indication of routines that have become rote is if we do them on autopilot.
When we’re on autopilot, we’re only half there. And if we’re only half there, we’re missing half our life.
ACTION
Take two minutes right now to think through your day. What do you do – day in, day out? What has become a rote routine?
How can you change it? What can you do to put some juice back into your life? It doesn’t have to be a big thing; little things can have a big impact.
TIP: Try seeing someone or doing something – as if for the first time. Really look at them, experience it, with fresh eyes and newfound appreciation. The second you do, life will cease to be… routine.
P.S. Want more ways to go from autopilot to alive? Grab a copy of “Someday Is Not a Day in the Week” here.