Originally posted on Facebook HERE
Different window today. There was a car in the way blocking the normal view. And sometimes that’s just the way life is, right? We get used to things being one way, we plan our day out in advance, and something comes along and totally changes everything at the last moment. I definitely have routines. Many of them. I do this then, that goes there, if this door gets opened it has to be fully opened or it makes me nervous, these pens go here, the remotes have to be situated in the same order facing the proper directions at all times, etc, etc, etc… I have action routines and I have spatial routines. I think we all do to some extent. But when things get messed with I’m not sure we all handle it the same way. I’m not crazy about getting my routines altered, which can make it easy to mess with me I guess if you know what they are. I want this done like this, I want this done around this time, this goes here, that goes there – it doesn’t mean I’m extremely organized, either. If you look at the spaces I spend a lot of time in (such as my offices at home and work), it might not look organized at all. But there are certain things in certain places and I know where everything is. One of the reasons I’m not nuts about planning days too far ahead on vacations is because when we’re on vacation I want the freedom to just let the days come to me. I actually really love that. No routine. No expectations for the day. It feels so free and light. So… why do I spend 90% of my time on days that have built in routines and expectations? I can think of a couple reasons – number one is it’s my comfort zone. And number two would be it helps me get everything done. If I didn’t have some routines built in I’m not sure I could get to everything. But man, mess with a routine and my insides can get really anxious and disturbed. It’s something I think about fairly often I guess – surrendering to whatever the moment brings. Do you ever look back and think – wow, I really missed an opportunity there?… maybe you were so focused on what you were doing, or the way you saw the situation, that you didn’t really give it a chance. Sometimes the best things in life are just outside the comfort zone. I’m getting better at realizing when an opportunity presents itself and my inner voice is freaking out because the current routine would be disrupted – and I want to just say no without even giving the thought a chance… to step back first. Think about it. Why is this being presented to me? Maybe it will take me in a new direction that totally serves me. I do live most of my life in routines, but I also change the routines up so my life doesn’t stay stagnant. And I’m always open to whatever opportunities I am presented with, because maybe God’s plan is greater than anything I can think of for myself. And His will is sometimes presented as a disruptive influence…
