I’ve always been a fan of habits… at least the good ones!
Grouping habits into routines is even better.
These habits and routines keep us on track to meet our goals.
Yet, I was reminded yesterday that the best habits are unconscious.
We do them automatically without even thinking about it.
This struck me.
Building too many routines into our day can make our lives unconscious.
Swimming through routines and not engaging our senses.
Habits and routines are intentional at first.
Then, the intentionality fizzles.
I wonder how we can keep this intentionality and engagement over time.
My Perspective
I was reminded of something I wrote about a year ago – Habits, Routines, and Rituals.
That post started to touch on the shift to rituals which are more emotional.
We can make our rituals a sensory experience.
We can be mindful of even the mundane habits of life.
In that prior post, I referenced Gretchen Rubin’s book Better than Before that helps build habits.
Maybe a great pairing is her newest book Life in Five Senses.
Better Than Before provides ways to create a habit and Life in Five Senses teaches us how to engage with all the little moments in our lives.
Your Turn
Are your habits so automatic you can’t remember parts of your day?
What could you do to make one habit more mindful and intentional?
Is there a habit or routine that you could turn into a ritual?