Oh, those darn habits we have!

As we all know, some habits are gratifying, and some are frustrating. Of course, it also depends on how often we actually notice them, right?

For as long as I can remember, ten o’clock in the morning was coffee/break time. I never gave it much thought, but it was deeply embedded in my psyche. That mid morning break time began on our family form — thanks for the break during the heat of summer, to enjoy the coolness of fall, to warm up during winter,and to enjoy the beauty of spring — and continued through college, my military service and later endeavors. What I discovered was other people, even if it was new to them, really enjoyed taking that break.

At one point, I began a new position in a church setting, and very quickly learned my mid morning habit was not observed by other folks on the staff. Well, habits are hard to break and I’ll have my morning coffee, thank you! Guess what? At first, I sat alone. Then other people began to join me, and soon everyone of staff was sitting and jawing around the snack table. We joked, discussed duties, were there for someone going through a tough patch and we all enjoyed our time together. It became a habit that fostered a bit of relaxation and much camaraderie.

Yes, those habits can be a safe place for us. We don’t have think about what we are doing or where we’re going because our habits give us a sense of direction.

A habit of mine is that liquid called wine. I didn’t know that habit for many years, but once wine was introduced to me, I signed on! Sometimes, there’s wisdom in taking the path less traveled.

Everyone once in awhile, it’s interesting to do something differently. For instance…

Do you always travel the same route to work, play or pleasure? What if we drove a new road, walked a new path or found pleasure in something new? Not only might we find satisfaction, but changing a habit helps to rewire the brain. Lord knows I need all of that type of rewiring I can get!

We might just see things in a new light, and in doing that, we expand our world.

The next time you visit a restaurant, why not pick an untasted item form the menu? Maybe there will be a new taste within the new item that will pique your interest. Or maybe not. So be it. You tried a new thing and there’s nothing wrong with that.

It’s kind of like tasting a new wine. Yes, the good old taste is known and enjoyed, but perhaps a tasty Minnesota Marquette wine will upset your habit wagon and start you on a new culinary adventure.

It’s like reading books. We certainly have our favorite genres, don’t we? When you next visit the library, I challenge you to pick a book that covers a topic you’ve never read. You never know what will happen, and if you are not pleased by the new selection, at least you stretched a bit — there’s nothing wrong with stretching.

Habits are good but need to be habitually changed to new habits. Hmm … sounds like habits are here to stay, doesn’t it?

As always, eat and drink in moderation but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!