It's the Little Things
Routines are everywhere! Either intentionally or by default. A man circles his car to check his tires' air pressure before getting in. A medical student enters a cross-walk in a high-traffic area without ever looking up. You, or I, dive into a delicious meal without giving thanks for it. Try not to judge; just observe. What routines do you see in your own life? And what are those routines producing for you?
It's one thing to be on auto-mode during the unconscious hours (sleep, breathe, pass gas, do what happens naturally), but how much of our awakened day, should we be moving about without thought or intention?
Routines have within them, the secret ability to transform our lives... for better or worse.
Changing an outcome always means changing some part of a routine. I'm not referring to great big changes, but I am talking about great big results. Ever heard of the saying, "little things mean a lot"? Every routine you follow is made up of bunch of tiny thoughts and actions. Don't think each small step is really major? Try putting on your pants without zipping them.
YOUR TURN: Think of some area of your day that you'd like to see go differently. Now closely examine each thought, feeling and step you take as you follow that routine. What small shift could you make to improve the outcome? The secret though, is SMALL step(s).
Hate rush hour traffic? Try leaving 10 minutes after it dies down.
Mondays bum you out? Connect with 1 person who fills you up or makes you laugh (even if by phone or text), but only on a Monday.
Dreading cooking or chores? Blast your favorite playlist while you burn them pots and dance across the floors. Get creative!
The major difference between ordinary and extraordinary experiences, really is that little "extra". Stop overwhelming yourself by buying the notion that it takes great big shifts to produce great big results. Even big ships begin their extravagant launch, with just a tiny little tugboat! If the tugboat shifts course just 3 clicks, the big ship's entire destination will change!
