Routines in Life

Routines and careful planning have their place in life, to be sure. But for those of us who tend to adhere a bit too closely to our lists and schedules, living our lives so rigidly can prevent us from enjoying the spice of life. It can be difficult to break free of our self-imposed guidelines, but incorporating more spontaneity into our lives can help us feel a whole new type of fulfillment. These spur-of-the-moment decisions don’t have to be anything enormous. For example, we might try taking a different route home from work and eat at a new restaurant we find along the way. Even these small deviations from our norm can allow us to unlock exciting new possibilities. Still, there’s a balance to be struck between spontaneity and discipline; being impulsive all the time is obviously irresponsible and can lead us into trouble. But there’s an interesting relationship between routine and surprise, as we often can’t have one without the other. If we don’t take care to have our finances in order, for instance, it may not be possible to splurge on that last-minute vacation with our friends. yeremiah@aol.com Yeremiah Hardt