Rut or Routine?

I think one of the reasons I became a teacher is because I thrive on routine. There is a beginning and an end, 5 days in the week, class periods, grading periods, desks in rows or groupings, lesson plans, daily schedule, classroom procedures.....I used to peg routine people (myself included) as boring and non-spontaneous, however, the more I read and the more I learn, I realize that some routine actually releases us to be spontaneous, adventurous; in the "zone" so to speak.

One of my favorite movies is Hoosiers. When faced with a challenging team and critical community, Coach Norman Dale says he's gonna "break the boys down and then build 'em back up." They had been under leadership that lacked discipline, fundamentals, and hard work. As you watch the movie, you see the boys go from being frustrated, angry, and belligerent to a group of young men, that once they believed and lived within the "system", it freed them up to really let loose and play with abandon...

The flip side of this is watching a team play that is so regimented and routine that they "don't know what to do when they don't know what to do". They are so programmed to 'run the play' that if one person is in the wrong spot, or the ball is mishandled, they freeze up and thus end up "choking". It is painful to watch, believe me...

Routine and "plays" are good as a framework, but maybe when we start "choking" in life situations, or feeling merely bored, we need to assess whether we are in a routine or in a rut. Are we being 'ruled, or released'?

It all started when I went to the fabric store the other day with my daughter and my mom. We were looking for material for a Halloween costume (this is where grandmas come in!) I hadn't been to a fabric store in years. Maybe a craft store, but not a bona fide fabric store. I was amazed at the energy in there. A group of people were in the back corner participating in a sewing class; you couldn't find a seat to even look through the pattern books, and there were actually high school kids (boys and girls) wandering around looking at material. (Remember Halloween is just around the corner. Hey at least they're planning ahead.) I left there thinking I really needed to get a sewing machine, take some classes, and shoot, I could save a lot of money if I made the kids clothes... (Don't worry, I came to my senses within the hour!) The point being, I do have some creativity that I had forgotten about. I went home and got out my 35 mm Rebel 2000 in order to take some pictures of Todd playing soccer this week (coming soon). Then I thought about other ways to get out of a rut. Maybe I should walk my "routine walking route (or rut)" backwards; the route that is, not me personally walking backwards :) I was amazed at how everything looked different. Houses that I had never noticed, trees, the way the street curved around the bend. It was cool. It got me to thinking about other areas that I have just "always done that way". I don't know about you, but I tend to shop at the same stores, eat at the same restaurants, drive the same way to and from school when taking the kids, listen to the same music, wear the same clothes (fyi: did you know that most people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time??), fix the same meals, go out with the same friends. So, I am on a mission to "mix it up a bit"; call an audible, color outside the lines, eat somewhere besides Beef A Roo. If I get really crazy I might just get rid of my beloved, lime green; holey hoodie :) It will have to be replaced immediately, however! So, what branch are you going to go out on?? Here are some ideas to get you started:

Drive a different way to work

Learn and try a new recipe (if you already do this; then it doesn't count!)

Try a new restaurant

Rearrange your furniture

If you only read fiction, try non-fiction and vice versa

Buy a new CD

Take up a new or old hobby

Try new fashion statement

A new hairstyle

Instead of going out, invite people over...

Have fun, and let me know how it goes...