Switch Your Routine, Switch Your Perspective

            I love routine. I find having a morning and night time routine to be beneficial. It’s important to know what works for you and to stick to it. That’s how you build towards your goals. It helps you stay aligned with your values.

            I crave flexibility as much as I crave routine. There comes a point when doing the same thing day in and day out becomes exhausting and mundane. I have found it vital to my mental health to regularly switch my environment. I love to immerse myself in new places and participate in different activities from my usual. For me, this switches my perspective and keeps my mindset positive. I love immersing myself in different cultures, being around people who think differently than me.

            The routine switch doesn’t always have to be something drastic like living in Bali for a month, although I’m game if you are. It can be something simple like going to a restaurant I’ve never been to, hiking a trail I’ve never hiked, saying yes to an invitation I’d usually say no to, reading a book from a perspective I normally would not choose. It is vital to experience the different things this world has to offer. I get the best of both worlds when I consistently implement my fundamental healthy habits while also making time for exploration. I make it a point to schedule new small experiences weekly and new larger experiences monthly. I can adventure while still maintaining the routines that leave me feeling my best. For example, I can take a weekend trip to a new state while still getting in a workout every morning. I can choose to meditate at the beach instead of in my meditation room. I can get my steps in while visiting with friends. Routine and flexibility can exist simultaneously. Try it out, you’d be surprised at how much occasionally changing your routine will switch your perspective for the better.