Routine vs Change?

Can you like change and routine at the same time? Absolutely!
While most people hate Mondays, I look forward to the routine of Pizza Monday, which I’ve been doing for over 15 years now!! Sure, sometimes it’s just me, but I still love the predictability of it…and Monday Night Football in the Fall! Another routine I love is Sunday mornings! I don’t set my alarm, I walk out to the driveway in my jammies to get the NY Times, put some bacon in the oven (have you ever made bacon in the oven? 325 for about 25 min-1/2 hour…so much easier than watching the stove), make some tea and put on the Carla Bruni channel on Pandora (I know…I don’t speak French, but I love having it in the backround on Sundays). It’s the perfect relaxing routine morning to me.
On the other hand, I love change too!

I love traveling, which is almost never routine! I like meeting new people, discovering new places…always learning. Let’s face it, in life, change is inevitable. People come into & out of our lives, technology moves at lightening speed and is changing daily…and our passions can change with the passing of time. So, why, I was wondering, are some people averse to change, while others embrace it? In looking into it, it seems that the difference lies in fear.

Fear is a very powerful emotion. It is one of the most common reasons for resistance to change because it stops you from taking any action at all. You think, ‘if i don’t…insert something uncomfortable here…then everything will stay the same, I won’t ruffle any feathers, status quo and I won’t have to deal with the consequences.’ Sure, there’s self doubt, anxiety, fear of the unknown or failure and even guilt with some decisions that will incite change. Well, what if the opposite happened? You decide do to that uncomfortable thing, make that uncomfortable decision? Maybe great things will happen…but you’ll never know if you don’t take the leap. The reward that comes from making changes can be amazing! …and even if you fail, you’ve learned something from the experience, right?? (disclaimer…There are definitely some people who embrace change that are narcissistic, with no regard to how it impacts others…I’m not talking about that kind of change!)

Unless I’m traveling, I rarely miss the routine of pizza Monday or Sunday mornings. Most people crave and need routine of some sort to give order to their life. Habits and routines make us more efficient…you know where your reading glasses are, where to find the pen & paper, and which drawer you put your socks in. You’d be searching all day if you didn’t have some sort of habit/routine. At my age it’s nice to know things are in their place because it’s bad enough that I can’t remember, “Why’d I come into this room??”

But, go ahead and try to embrace change…the possibilities are endless! I’m looking forward to the change of moving back to the beach in the somewhat near future, while still retaining the routine of watching Rowan and pizza Monday in the best neighborhood,  traveling to Brooklyn every couple of months to see Austin, Kate & Jude, and Sunday mornings. Above all, the main constants in one’s life of great friends and family make every routine comforting & worthwhile, and every change exhilerating & exciting.

“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered,
you will never grow”
….Ralph Waldo Emerson
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

4 Comments

  1. Good post! Although I don’t change much I do like it and I am always telling the folks at work to embrace change!

  2. This is exactly what I needed to see since I’ve already made a huge job change and have some fears about it. Now I just face it and be the best I can be!

  3. J – how did I miss this post (caught it cleaning our email)?!
    First off I am a believer of change but I too love the comfort of routine which I think of as ‘organized’, less stress for sure. As you know I have experienced various ‘jobs’ and I guess I bore easily?! Working for Aspen Skiing in operations (which I enjoy) the company has many facets of industry and diversity. At my current yr round position for 4 years now and believing this would be the last ‘job change’ before retiring turned out to be wrong! Yup moving on to yet another department and Mountain – will now how all 4 Mountains under my belt. I don’t fear change I indulge it and I have been burned before lasting just 7 days on a job change which turned out to be WRONG in so many ways. But ‘fear’ not I survived and feel like I won for taking those chances. Change does not hurt and love the freedom of the challenges it offers! I know you are living your best life and YOU are making that happen! Don’t Stop Beliving – xoxoxo

    1. You are the most adaptive person when it comes to change and that is evident from your job history. You never miss a beat and always know that the next thing will be for the best. I love your spirit and sense of adventure!! xoxo….J

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