If hindsight is 20/20, then we have seen more than our fair share to gain perspective well into the future. There have been some interesting challenges that changed the world we live in. We’ve had to make adjustments to our social constructs and how we processed this new world. Each time we begin a new year and a new journey, we also have to remember to release something that could be holding us back from being our best selves.
Human beings are creatures of habit. An unsustainable routine was the most apparent and something we need to leave behind. The shift from sitting in traffic daily and being in an office surrounded by people to working from home wearing pajamas at a makeshift kitchen table for a desk, has forced us to question if our routines were sustainable for the lives we claim we want to live.
The mental transitions from a “Go” centric life to a “Hurry up and wait” centric pace was the first challenge. On the one hand, sitting with ourselves for an extended period meant sitting with nowhere to rush off to. On the other hand, making plans for the end of a difficult time became a central focus because it was comforting to have something to look forward to. It’s helpful to remember there is no result or end game plan while you’re in the present moment, and that realization doesn’t often sit well for some. When we are not present or paying attention to what is going on in the now, we do it to our own detriment and miss out on moments of growth.
The unsustainable routine may include making some truly unhealthy meal decisions. Making meals of tortilla chips, nacho cheese, and red wine for dinner can be okay once in a while as comfort but had quickly become an unhealthy habit over time. Perhaps we’ve made those choices due to diminished skills when cooking, lack of motivation, or just the sheer convenience of it. But when it becomes chronic and more consistent than making a regular meal, then a shift may be necessary. I’d be lying to myself if I said I wouldn’t do this again, but at least an effort can be made more frequently for better choices.
It was far more noticeable how disconnected we had become from the people we care about. The way we were taking care of our personal relationships was not sustainable. I didn’t realize that I missed having conversations with some people, and the conversations I’ve had have been grounding. The best conversations were spent laughing, and we found several hours later, we were on the phone talking, exchanging ideas about how we want to transform our lives. Not everyone has the ability, but there are some people I thoroughly loved talking to with full honesty that I don’t have to hold back with.
Finally, the ability to rest when your body tells you to rest is impacted when your routine is unsustainable. Making more time for rest or taking breaks when you need to is imperative. Taking a nap in the middle of the day seems like a bad idea at first, but after some time, we may come to realize we are more refreshed to get things done around the house, even in the later hours of the night. I became more productive and reflective during the hours after a nap.
Our lives weren’t sustainable, and the routines we had were breaking us in ways that we weren’t aware of. For your own reflection, what’s something you found wasn’t sustainable? How can you make the shift?
About the author: Brandy Collins is a Bay Area native full of Scorpio magic and self-proclaimed Professional Aunty telling stories for Oakland Voices, Oaklandside, and the funny one in group chats. Follow on twitter @gurl79, Instagram @story_soul_collecter, and her website http://storysoulcollector.com/.