Reevaluating Routines
Over the weekend I went for a walk in my neighborhood. The weather is starting to cool off and we are seeing glimpses of fall around us. Here in Oklahoma, our weather is still in the upper 80’s or low 90’s during the day, but our mornings are becoming cooler. We were in the 60’s several mornings last week.
When I left my house I started on the path I typically take through the neighborhood, but when I reached the first corner I decided to go in a different direction than normal. I’m not sure why, but I just felt like exploring a different part of the neighborhood this time. I took a side road that connects to a different neighborhood and found myself curious about the houses, the trees, and the people.
I was only over one street from where I’d normally walk, but the views were different.
In general, I’m all for routine. I like the built-in rhythms in my day. But, the thing about routines is that they need to be evaluated from time to time.
In walking through my neighborhood it doesn’t matter which way I go. I can mix it up if I want to walk a shorter or longer distance. When I’m bored with certain scenery I can take a different path and discover a fresh perspective - honestly, it's just not that big of a deal.
And yet when it comes to our everyday lives I wonder if we get too hung up on the routine. What if we keep doing the same things over and over again because the idea of choosing a different path feels too risky?
Maybe it is time to evaluate some of our routines.
What are your rhythms that you know will not change? It might be your nighttime routine for tucking your kids into bed, or maybe it's date night with your spouse. Maybe it's your full-time job, or the ways you serve in the community.
What are your rhythms that might need a shift? Do you want to read more, but find yourself scrolling your phone instead? Are you longing for community, but unsure how to make it fit into your weekly schedule?
Obviously, these lists will vary by person. You might have an extensive list of things that need to remain the same and just one or two things you’d like to change. You might also notice that your list needs to be evaluated each season depending on your commitments.
Change itself isn’t bad or good - rather it is neutral. Sometimes change means we are growing and it is time to try something different. Sometimes change means what we’ve been doing isn’t working out and we need to make a shift. Sometimes change comes because of a tragedy and sometimes it comes because of a celebration. Change can be scary. It can feel risky. It can bring sadness and it can bring joy.
For most of my life, I have resisted change, thinking of it in negative terms. But when I think of it as neutral I’m able to see how it is safe to evaluate my routines and get curious about which ones might need to be adjusted for this season of life.
It might be that certain routines are just as flexible as going whichever way I want for my walk through the neighborhood, but other routines may need to remain more rigid because of whatever purpose they serve.
I encourage you to invite the Holy Spirit into this exploration of your routines and see where the Spirit helps you identify areas that might be ready for change.
~ Melissa