Breaking the Cycle of Monotony
We all know I love my everyday routine probably even more than most, but breaking out of it and experiencing new things is just as important. As we have discussed a lot on my page, life is about balance and joy. Living the same day over and over again is not what life is about. You may have to go through stages of monotony to then be able to break out of it. The yin with the yang, not just one or the other. I want to talk about the benefits of straying from routine, but also some of the consequences to expect.
Breaking the cycle of monotony can be as simple as eating a different meal, trying a new workout or restaurant, saying yes, etc. Recently, my version of breaking out of routine was traveling for a month. My routine abroad was completely opposite from my routine here and that is more than ok. Different routines bring different things. If your routine stays the same, you stay the same, and you don’t learn anything new. Staying in the same cycle can also give you too much control which may lead to panic if something were to go wrong. Trying new things allows us to adapt a more “go with the flow” attitude even just for a moment. Honestly, I’m not really a go with the flow gal, I like to be in control. However, we all have to learn and know how to deal with situations that are not in our control. Letting loose and giving up control gives us more “tools” to use in the future when something doesn’t go how we expected.
Just because a situation doesn’t go how you imagined it doesn’t mean it is bad, in fact it could be even better than what you thought. I also believe that even if it isn’t necessarily better, there is a reason behind each event in our life that will soon be revealed.
I don’t want you to interpret this post as me saying consistency is bad because I feel that consistency is key in a good fitness and wellness journey and life in general. You can’t try something new, say you are bad at it and move on. Try something new, stick with it, and see what you find out. You will learn about yourself, the world, and the people around you.
Most paths bring some type of strength even if it comes in the form of weakness. I know that sounds confusing, but being aware of your weaknesses is one of the biggest strengths you can have. When we are aware of what needs help, we can put our energy towards becoming better in that category. I have been seeing strength as mental, physical, and emotional. Breaking your routine can help fix a certain strength if they are out of balance.
When I first came home and went to my first yoga class back I kept thinking to myself, “omg I have lost so much muscle.” I didn’t feel nearly as strong as I used to be a month ago. I then started to think of how powerful I used to be. I had to check myself, because although I was physically strong weeks ago, I was mentally and emotionally wrecked. School had torn me down and the stress and pressure I put on myself was breaking me. Now, I feel extremely mentally and emotionally strong, but physically not as strong. Sometimes in exchange for building one type of strength, we have to release our grasp of another. I love working out, but it can be just as mentally taxing as physically. Not only do you push your mind to great lengths, but planning and scheduling when to workout can be exhausting. Giving myself a large break from working out and not trying to fit so many things into my schedule allowed me to give up control and fix my other types of strength. Mental health comes first and when we notice this falling apart, we have to do what we can to fix it. I know I will gain back my physical strength. If I stayed in the same cycle, not only would I be putting my mental health at risk, but there wouldn’t be any healthy challenge. What I love is that now I feel invigorated and ready to feel even stronger than before. I invite challenge into my life because I allowed myself to fill up my cup in another way.
Nothing is going to be perfect. Just because you release one type of strength like physical to work on another like mental doesn’t mean that your mental strength will be perfect, but you can’t have it all. Stop looking for perfection because it doesn’t exist. You are exactly enough. Change is tough but you are tougher. It may seem scary, but the benefits outweigh the fear. Don’t let fear control your life. Take the leap of faith. Believe in yourself and the universe.