I blog here about the new things I try: dark dancing, night kayaking, fun running in the snow to name a few. While I am usually up to trying new things, on some level it’s because I struggle to continue with old things. I’ve tried to form fitness habits, but I have been unsuccessful. I think I tend to see routine as boring or likely to leave me in a rut.
One blogger describes habits or routine as a day-to-day extension of our traditions: something we do day in, day out. When our habits become routine, we may not even give them much thought. But positive habits can foster creative thinking, says another: if I have a gym habit, the question is not “am I going to the gym” but rather “what will I do when I am at the gym.”
When does a habit become a rut? Ruts come about through repetition. In winter, me and my Canadian friends get their cars stuck in grooves or tracks of snow we call ruts. A rut in one’s life suggests a negative habit: a pattern of complacency, mindlessness, or something hard to change. (This blogger, however, does take a positive view of ruts when it comes to turtles.)
How can habits not become ruts but still stay as positive habits? The internet has more thoughts about this. One blogger suggests that habits get people to show up for things, while practice gets them to seek improvement. Practice also suggests that adjustments are needed because each day is different. Practice, unlike habit, is supposed to be mindful.
Another blogger suggests that habits can be positive when we think of them as ritual: they take on a personal or symbolic meaning, (beyond the instrumental) that is life affirming or enhancing.
Looking at these different concepts together, I can see why my friend describes her regular yoga-going not as a habit but as a practice (something she adjusts to her needs each time) as well as a ritual (something that is restorative and joyful after a busy, stressful week).
How might all this help me with my habit-less-ness? Perhaps I could focus more on activities that I can easily adjust based on my feelings and that bring me joy. Focusing on practice and ritual, rather than on habit formation itself, is how I might cultivate positive routines that I can look forward to and maintain.
What are your fitness activities: a rut, a habit or routine, a practice, a ritual, or some combination?