Routine vs Novelty

 

No pleasure endures unseasoned by variety.”

Publius Syrus

Greek Philosopher

I have a love/hate relationship with routine. On the one hand I crave it’s safety and comfort, and yet on the other hand I will always eventually end up tossing it aside for the novelty my life seems to demand. 

Each time I move somewhere new the excitement of the unknown calls my name, but within a matter of weeks I have settled into a routine. I know exactly what route to take, where to shop, how to spend my days. The rut begins to take shape, and I happily allow it. 

I have since learned that our brain responds to routine with hits of dopamine, kind of like a tootsie roll mini. Our brain actually begins to form new neural pathways as we establish routines. 

According to Dan Erickson, “These pathways are like the brain’s internal map-the more we use certain trails the stronger and more developed they become.”

As much as I might get discouraged with my lack of novelty, it seems I’m hard-wired to do so. That being said I also know that novelty can spur creativity and ingenuity. So apparently there is room for both in my life. 

I think being more in tune with the routines, and being willing to shake things up every once in a while is the key. As easy as it is to fall into the routine of eating the same lunch over and over, eventually it gets old. My lack of motivation stems from a lack of creativity. 

Rather than rely on the tried and true life becomes so much more interesting when I step out of my well-defined comfort zone and embrace something new and different. 

Designer and philosopher Alexandra Stoddard reminds us, “The key is not to be rigid and inflexible as you go about your regular routine.”

I realized I was guilty of this when inclement weather caused me to miss my weekly car wash. For some reason this bothered me WAY too much. 

This revelation is not totally new to me, but being aware of it, and allowing for more variety in my life will hopefully in the end add to my enjoyment. Do you struggle with the balance between routine and novelty?

Library Adventure

 

The other day I took the opportunity to do something that had peaked my curiosity.  I visited  the grounds of the Dublin, Tx Public Library because  I had noticed before that they had a series of book pages arranged around the outside of the library. I discovered that the displayed book was Miss Maple’s Seeds by Eliza Wheeler. 

This was a delightful story that captured my imagination. The illustrations, by Wheeler as well, were magical. I’m curious if the library changes the story periodically. Actually, I hope so.  The display was positioned around the library building on a gravel walking trail. The grounds of the library was flanked by beautiful old trees, and the crisp autumn air made this adventure quite enjoyable.  

I knew when I left I would have to own the book. It arrived a few days ago, and is just beautiful! My favorite quote is:

“… for the world is big and you are small.” 

There is a reference in the story to a grand  tree that began from the smallest of seeds. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the parable of the mustard seed. 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the field; it is the smallest of seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

Matt 13:31-32