I often return to a book I read a few years ago called How to Get Ideas by Jack Foster. I have highlighted, dog-eared and marked many of its pages. One section that often calls out my name demands that you get out of your rut.
Although no one likes to admit it, it is easy to do the same things the same way. You know - eat the same thing for breakfast, dress the way you have always dressed, drive to work the same way listening to the same radio station, get your coffee from the same place at the same time, read the same sections of the newspaper...and on it goes.
"Because you're in a rut, every day your five senses are recording the same things they recorded yesterday - the same sights, the same feelings, the same smells, the same sounds, the same tastes...But please, today, do something. Something different, something that will get you off dead center, something that will start you in a different direction, something the will get you out of your rut," says Foster.
So today I did just that. Alfie and I took a different route on our morning walk to the shops and along the way we spied this:
This little piece of guerrilla knitting was a perfect reminder, if ever I needed it, that it always pays to take the road less traveled.
What will you do differently today?
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Oh i am SUCH a creature of habit (good and mostly bad) that doing something different can be really difficult for me. I hear what you are saying and I totally agree in principle - it's just the putting into practice part I find hard.
ReplyDeleteI am a procrastinator, so maybe today I should surprise myself and just get on with it, eh? no more excuses?!
p.s Alfie is the cutest name ever. I bet he is a character! x
This is JUST what I needed to read - thank you for the tip! I will hunt down that book whatever it takes. I too will take a new walking route today (even if it is just to go & do the same old thing... shopping & errands), but tomorrow for something fun I will take my baby girl on a ferry trip across the harbour! Happy Easter x
ReplyDeletePs. I love spotting guerrilla knitting on the street. It is always such a welcomed surprise; bound to slow you down & make you smile.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book. It's so easy to fall into a pattern, so comfortable, so friendly. Change is always hard don't you think? For a while I've been trying to stop myself from saying 'no' to new ideas/activities/opportunities if the only reason is that I'm not sure if I'll like it. Try everything once and then decide. Leads to some interesting results. :)
ReplyDeleteSara - I know what you mean...sometimes it's easy to get daunted into doing nothing. But often all it takes is just one small change for a big effect. Go on! Jump right in and give it a go!
ReplyDeleteHummingbird - Can't wait to hear about your ferry trip! What a perfect way to start the long weekend. Thank you for your beautiful comment.
Clare B - I love your new approach. It's kind of like that book 'Yes Man'. It's amazing what comes your way when you're open and receptive to new ideas and opportunities.
Have a happy Easter
xx