Habits and Patterns

The GOP race is heating up. If you haven't seen Nicole's commentary on politics, go here: http://dormroom718.blogspot.com/2011/12/whats-going-on.html

1. I am a creature of habit and pattern.
2. You don't have to drive down memory lane alone.
3. Find a new perspective.
4. Things are hot when you microwave them too.

Megan here, Happy New Year! and happy Wednesday!

Nicole left this morning and arrived safely home after a very laid back, but very fun five days here in St. Cloud. It was a blast in general, and I hope I gave her a decent taste of my world.

If there's one thing I've learned over the last few days it's that I am definitely a creature ruled by habits and patterns. It's just a lot of little things, like what roads I take, how I eat a Kit Kat bar, and apparently how I make popovers and chop potatoes... Like I said, it's a bunch of little things. However, maybe it's also a bunch of big things, like how I appraise situations, how I perceive threats, and how I respond to people.

Sometimes we stick to what we know: what's familiar and comfortable. The problem with this is that it can be easy to lapse into auto-pilot and become desensitized to everything we encounter on a regular basis. We forget to put ourselves in new situations and see things in a new light which is how we learn and well, how we live a fuller, more engaged life. So, in an effort to change this, I did what anyone would do. I did something differently. I made myself a cup of black coffee and put on some classical music--something I don't normally do. After that, I figured I had changed things up enough and made myself my usual cup of tea and turned on a Skillet playlist :P I'm taking baby steps! For the record, sometimes it's nice to drink something strong and bitter.

I think it's easy to let ourselves fall into ruts with various aspects of life, whether that's creatively, with relationships, with jobs... I mean, what is a rut? It's a path that has been traveled so much and so often that it forms a groove that can be kind of hard to get out of. In other words, when you find yourself in a rut, it's time to do something differently because the usual method won't work. Go find a new perspective, try something new, challenge yourself!

I'm not a fan of New Years' Resolutions, but I am a fan of trying out new things. And I suppose it's a good time to start since we're only four days into 2012. It's a fresh start whether or not we A. like it and B. choose to see it that way. Little things make a difference, and consciously throwing a little variety into each day might help ease that rutty feeling. It's quite easy to just sit around in such a rut, especially during winter when going into hibernation mode is quite appealing. (I have spent way too much time in bed lately.) I'm hoping I can apply this to my creativity... hope it works! Anyways, switch things up sometimes. It might lead to positive outcomes.

I leave you with this link to a song by Skillet... 'cause I like it, and I hope it motivates you to seize the moment. May your new year have more hugs than last year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kQ6prkSRFs

-Megan