Variety is the spice of life, that’s true. We only notice things that change, things that don’t simply fade into the background. Change creates the flavor that piques our interest and makes us want to take another bite, but if there is too much spice, not so much.
This is the side effect of variety. Change brings the cost of uncertainty and most of us have too much uncertainty in our daily lives. Especially if we are creating a new venture or trying something we’ve never done before. It’s hard work, and mentally taxing. Jonathan Fields, in his book Uncertainty: Turning Uncertainty and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance talks about the benefits of creating routines as a way to fight the uncertainty. They create cairns in life, things we can count on to be there every day. Things that we don’t need to think about or worry about. Whether it’s waking up at the same time, eating at the same time, or praying and meditating at a certain time — these steady points can help us lean into the uncertainty each of us face when we are creating new things.
As we go into the New Year and take some of the down time to consider the path our life is on, maybe picking some arbitrary routines can help bring clarity and focus to the work of creating.
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