Rituals vs. Routines

If I were to ask you about your day-to-day life, would you describe it as a series of routines or rituals?  From waking up and making your bed to making that first cup of coffee or tea to taking care of your skin, would you categorize these acts as simply the things you do every day, or times in your day that you are devoting to self-care?  And if you were to take a moment to reframe these as rituals of care, would they feel more important or necessary to include in your days?

I was listening to a podcast the other day where a coach was discussing training and mindset, and he said that one sure way to beat the New Year slump that so many of us fall into was to change how we view our activities.  He suggested that instead of relegating them to routines performed on autopilot, we would be better off elevating them into ongoing rituals that move us towards overall wellness and fitness.  This really landed with me, as I was knee-deep into a marathon training plan for an upcoming spring race.

Early in January, I managed to injure myself (while doing a low-key yoga class), and although the injury did not immediately cause me to push pause on training, it has managed to persist.  Denial is strong in this one.  When I listened to this podcast and started to think about how my training had been going, I realized that I was absolutely in routine mode.  I set my alarm every night, put out my running gear, and made my way through my runs, feeling less than inspired and more and more aware that my goal of the marathon was starting to slip away.  Something else was happening too - I was starting to not enjoy running.  This may seem like a sensible cause and effect - I am not comfortable running so of course I am not enjoying it - but for me, this was a pink flag that something else was going on. 

Common sense finally caught up with me and I took a few weeks off of running and reassessed the May race, the possibilities and realities.  I started to ride my bike trainer and included more walking in my weeks, along with trips to the lake for early-morning dips.  I also started to reflect on past run training and compared my mindset in the lead-up to past events to where I was mentally for this one.  In the past when I have enjoyed training, it is because instead of narrowing my focus to the outcome as the only goal, I have allowed myself to actually enjoy the challenge that has come with the training program.  I have faced each workout as its own mini challenge and have allowed myself to feel complete as I cross each day and week off the chart.  I allowed myself to take in the work I was doing and be present and aware of how I felt before, during, and after as well as week-to-week.  I took myself off autopilot and acknowledged the good, the bad, and the ugly of training.  

Being on automatic feels comfortable during times of discomfort - I will be the first to admit that not feeling all of the feelings can feel pretty great.  Being able to gloss over discomfort to only focus on the good stuff is what often allows us to keep showing up for hard things.  The problem is that if you don't allow yourself to feel bad, it is hard to truly savour feeling good.  In my life, this has led to accomplishing goals and not feeling much of anything except a need to set and chase the next goal right away.    

Getting out for a short run this weekend confirmed two things for me - I still DO enjoy running, and I will NOT be running my May race.  And I feel a sense of relief for both outcomes.  I want to take some time to let my body heal, and I also want to find a way to reestablish that ritualistic outlook on training that I lost somewhere along the way.  I want to feel like I am spending the time to complete workouts because each one is important to me on its own, regardless of the distant end-point they may be leading towards.  When I am ready, I want to feel challenged and complete by showing up for hard workouts, and I want to be present during them to notice all of the feelings going on.  

Are there areas in your life where your rituals have become routines, and perhaps have lost some of their flavour or colour?  What would it take to switch off your autopilot button and sink back into the sensations of self-care existing within these moments of your day?  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Solar Return Reflections

 As I embark on a new solar return, I am compelled to reflect on the year that is closing behind me. Exercises like these often have us remembering the big wins or struggles, the notable changes and shifts that have taken place, the happenings that are impossible to ignore. And while all of those items are important to note, savour, and pay attention to, I find myself drawn to the smaller moments in time. The almost imperceptible yet impactful catalysts that are most often responsible for growth.  What I find interesting about those tiny agitators is the amount of pain and discomfort they often create as they push us to respond. Like the grain of sand in our shoe that will cause a blister if we don't stop to remove it, ignoring these pain points only leads to longer-lasting, deeper dis-ease if not attended to. It was during a visit with a dear friend this past week that this point was driven home for me. I was describing to her a feeling of overwhelm I had been dealing with (o...
Read more

Letting Go

 This past weekend, I helped my eldest son as he prepared to take the next big step in his life's adventures.  It felt bittersweet to watch as he packed up the room in his apartment, in anticipation of setting up a new room in a new city in the near future.  I have felt proud of him over the past few months as he has navigated many unknowns and new situations with a sense of certainty and enthusiasm for what lies ahead.  Deep down, I marvelled at his ability to let go, to embrace the new opportunities being presented while letting go of the life he had been establishing over the past couple of years.  Thinking back to when I was his age, I am not sure that I would have had the ability to make these same decisions so easily.  Sure, I have had my fair share of tough choices and have navigated change as I have journeyed through life. Still, I have often felt a sense of dis-ease when it comes to letting go of what is or has been to make room for what might be....
Read more

Cheer Stations

 Yesterday, I ran my fifth full marathon, my first in two years.  The idea felt daunting at first - I hadn't forgotten how all-encompassing the training could feel, spanning sixteen weeks and requiring hundreds of kilomteters to be travelled simply to complete those last 42.2.  And yet, there I was, signing up and taking on the work. Training went well - the weeks seemed to pass more quickly than I expected them to, and despite a slightly cranky hamstring, my body and mind adapted to the workouts and didn't put up roadblocks along the way.  Getting up and getting out for those early morning runs and long weekend runs became routine, and something I looked forward to.  Especially the long runs that had me crossing the city instead of sticking to very well-worn routes from previous training blocks.  Friends started to inquire about the big day, and I noticed that many of them seemed to be more excited about the race than I was.  With it not being my firs...
Read more