I have an established morning routine. I get out of bed and brush my teeth. I start on the top right quadrant, move to the top left, bottom left, then finish on the bottom right. Thirty seconds each. I floss using floss picks (because I can never get the floss to wrap around my fingers) and then use a purple colored mouth wash. Then I take a cold shower, get dressed, eat a yogurt, and start my day.
It is 28 degrees outside in Rogers, Arkansas this morning. Nothing sounds worse than taking a shower in water only slightly warmer than the ice on the ground outside.
I'm standing in contemplation, bare feet on the cold tile of my bathroom floor. I go to reach for my toothbrush, but instead, I have a ridiculous thought. What if I tricked myself? My body expects to shower after I brush my teeth. ”Expect the unexpected,” I say to myself. I feel like a psychopath. But before I can reconsider, I throw the shower handle to cold and jump in.
It sucks, but laughing at myself makes it sucks a little less. I finish my morning routine out-of-order and leave the house feeling alive and ready for the day.
Sometimes the hurdle to establishing a habit is nothing more than timing.
Maybe you are a morning gym person?
Maybe reading at night before bed is the worst time to read for you.
You might actually start eating better if you just wait 30 more minutes before you eat in the morning.
You don't need to commit to a 75-day plan, quit cold turkey, or alter your entire schedule. Big results can come from small shifts in our daily routine.
Life not working? Change it up. Surprise yourself (or pretend to like I did). It might just provide the results you're looking for.
Action
Switch the order of your routine tomorrow morning. Note your mindset and energy levels during and after the experience.
Question
What part of your routine are you bored with?
Quote
"The less routine the more life." - Amos Bronson Alcott
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