Let's de-routinise…

Most of us have had the experience of suddenly bumping into an old acquaintance, or calling up a friend after a long time. In how many such instances have you asked him or her - “How’s life???” About always, right? So how many times, have you been responded with – “Going on… just the usual stuff”… kind of an answer? Most of the time, right? And how many times have you yourself answered to someone in the same way? Think about it. Quite a lot of times, maybe? Well, honestly, my answer to the above questions would be a resounding yes.

Some would say – so what’s wrong in the usual stuff, after all? Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. But what I have noticed is the tone that mostly accompanies such a response. It’s generally a dry, plain, unenthusiastic voice; in spite of the slight, wry smile that might come along. And let’s admit, some people even dread or hate to be asked this question. That, is what disturbs me.

What do we normally mean by the “usual stuff”? Getting up in the morning, preparing the kids for school, getting ready for office, run through the chores at work, do the laundry, dusting, cooking, etc., etc. – maybe some or all of the above or even many more. To be precise, it implies to our normal, daily routine.

Now, picture this. You’re just back from this amazing holiday and then you bump into a friend who asks you – “Hey! How’s life”. How would you respond? You’d probably grin ear to ear, and say – “Am doing great!!! How are you?” And if he responds you by the “Just going on…” kind of an answer, you’d probably feel sorry and then go all out to advise him – “You know you should take a break!!! I’ve just been to this amazing place, which I’d recommend to you too. Call me and I’ll share the details!!!”

See the difference? Not only have you breathed in the ecstasy of meeting a friend, but you have in fact played a counselor to him!! In totality, you’ve sent out a strong positive vibe.

Now shift focus to your kitchen. You’ve just come across this new recipe from the net or shared by a friend. You plan all week and finally when you prepare the dish, you are so glad that you want to share your achievement with the whole world!!!

What is the common factor in the above two scenarios? It’s the feeling of doing something different, something new, isn’t it? You bask in the novelty of the experience. At the end of the day, you are a happy person, feeling good about yourself. What’s more, your experiences could even inspire many.

But alas, life is not an everlasting vacation. Neither do we have the luxury of cooking exotic dishes from online recipes every day. Not everything that we need to do every day is new. Soon, the same old routine creeps back in, and there you are, yearning for the next amazing holiday.

Well, things are mostly how we perceive them. The only way to avoid the cycle of boredom is to begin to enjoy the rhythm of routine. Bring a change in the routine by devoting at least 30 minutes of your day to do some activity that you enjoy – a hobby that might not pay you in terms of money, but gives you satisfaction. Imagine that, whatever you do, you’re doing it the first time. It could even be as mundane as returning to work on Monday!!! Dress to look good, even if you’re going to the neighbourhood grocery shop. No, it’s not about putting on make-up all the time! The idea is to feel nice about whatever you’ve got to do, so you automatically feel content about it. De-routinise your activities. Allow them to seem new and purposeful each time you perform them. So next time onwards, when someone asks you how you have been, the reply – “Am doing great!!” should come naturally to you.

A little note for those who believe it’s easier said than done – Remember that we ourselves can be the change we wish to see.

Enjoy the routine :-) !!!