A Break From Routine

A couple of weeks ago I was heading to the last day of our youth and young adult conference when my SUV suddenly started to shake violently. I was on the freeway, going at a good 60 miles per hour - but thankfully I was on the left-most lane and was able to quickly pull onto the shoulder. When my sister and I got out of the car, we realized what had happened: my passenger tire completely burst, and the impact completely unattached my bumper.

It was a scary sight! Fortunately we were able to get it to our mechanic that day, and all was fixed late last week. (I’m so thankful God protected us and got us to conference on time that night!).

But being without a car for a few weeks was very strange for me because I’m so used to driving myself everywhere. Being dependent on other people for rides created a break in my usual routine in a variety of ways. For one thing, there was the fact that for the first time in a long time, I was able to spend car rides doing other things - like reading, writing on my phone or just looking out the window. I’d forgotten how much I loved to do those things when I was younger. There was also the fact that my schedule had to be tightened up a little. I could no longer go wherever I please as soon as I got out of work, because there were other people to consider (sure, I could have just get an Uber everyday, but since it was only temporary, I decided I might as well save the money I’d be spending on those fees).

It was strange how even though this break in my routine was an inconvenience, it was also strangely refreshing to switch things up. I learned that doing things differently than you normally do causes you to reevaluate everything - including why you’ve been sticking to your current routine in the first place. It also has a way of reminding you that things don’t always have to be done the same way. And that’s something I’ve been taking to heart.

Humans are creatures of habit - we find comfort and rest in routine. But it’s good to get the reminder every now and then that nothing is gluing us to the ground. If we want our lives to be different, we have the power to change them. We might not be able to control all the circumstances around us, but there are certainly some things we can influence. Even if they’re only personal things, like an attitude change, dropping an old habit or adopting a new, positive thought pattern.

Life doesn’t have to look the same way it did yesterday or the same way it looked last week. If you want to be more adventurous, more spontaneous, more physically fit or more financially responsible - you can be. Starting right now. We know all this theoretically. But sometimes I think we struggle to make that crucial first step simply because it’s not a part of the life we’re used to.

So this is my encouragement to you to take a first step this week. Do something different that you’ve always wanted to try. That first step might be the hardest and the most uncomfortable, but every step after that will get easier as your feet get used to new ground.

#2016 #life