We all love and hate our daily routines. Sometimes, we are irritated that we are such slaves to the same rituals day after day. Then we settle down with the first tea or coffee, and we’re grateful for routine—maybe even can’t do comfortably without it.
Like clockwork in the morning, I feed the cats and dog, make the coffee, sit with Marcus, Sabrina, and Max, and watch the birds at the feeder while they have their morning routine. There are seasonal variations in this, but nothing radical is planned here. It’s a comfortable way to start the day.
But a few weeks ago, I was reminded that it wasn’t always this way. I’ve reached the age where, annually, there is the Medicare Wellness Examination. I trot into my doctor’s office, and we run through a battery of tests and questions. Among them are questions regarding my regular habits. Smoking always comes up. I stopped abruptly on March 1, 1981. It was my ninth try to quit.
Before March 1, 1981, the morning routine almost always started with the day’s first cigarette. It was followed by coffee and the second cigarette. Changes were made to the routine. My body changed, my moods adapted, and eventually, a new normal settled in. I no longer looked for the pack of smokes by the bedside in the morning. The stains on my fingers wore away. Dental cleanings gradually removed the nicotine stains from my teeth. Eventually, I stopped missing the deficit in the routine.
All these years later, new norms and routines have developed. The thought of tapping a pack of cigarettes against my hand to slide a fresh smoke out is forgotten. It is one part of my old routine that I don’t want back.
So, I sit here doing another part of my morning routine: writing a blog post. That’s only been happening since 2018. So, while we consider routine a monumental, everlasting item in our lives, it is pretty variable.
Think about this tomorrow morning. Habits change, and what we view as unvarying varies greatly over time. We also control that change. It might not be thunderously rapid and abrupt. Like my giving up smoking, it might take time. But it is within our ability.
Discover more from Louis N. Carreras, Woodcarver
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
My blogging routine changed over this past summer when I had to get out comparatively early with the dogs. I started writing this the afternoon before then just editing it while I drank my sainted cup of coffee. The coffee? I really really really don’t want to change that. I have had to change my routine for walking Bear. I made the first attempt today. It wasn’t (for me) very pleasant, but, as you say, in time…
A big hunk of out routines are influenced ) or controlled) by the darlings.
❤️🐾🐾🐾
I appreciate your reminder to notice my own routines. My kitty needs to be fed IMMEDIATELY, heh heh, and the chucks. I’m pretty connected to my morning coffee and computer, but not much else in a day, which means I am fortunate. I miss smoking though. It has been three years without one, and I only stopped because I didn’t want to hide them from Pedro anymore. I wish I didn’t have to stop, and I’m not convinced by doctors (because my mom died of lung cancer and never smoked a cigarette in her life), but *sigh* at the very least I’m willing to do it for my man. Congratulations in quitting. It is hard to do and I tried multiple times before I finally managed.
Keep resisting the urge to smoke. It does get better with time. And I know how hard it is to quit. Remember I was in the OR, and saw lots of smokers lungs, and still did not quit!
Best wishes!