I never liked routines while growing up. Each day I needed to do things differently, be it what I did at home or what I did in school, who would drop me to the bus stop or what I had in my lunch box at school – these could never be the same everyday. Even my best friends changed based on who was in my class and sitting next to me! And that meant I have lots of friends from various different circles.
Not just that, there are certain things that define your personality. For me. that’s openness to trying new things. That’s a streak in me that’s helped me deal with so much, specially the moves my family has made. We’ve lived in 4 different cities in 3 different countries in our 8 years of marriage. Its not been easy pulling up the roots and just moving bag and baggage to a new place. If not my love for doing things differently, I don’t know where I would be.
However, now that I am a stay at home mom, its been increasingly challenging to mix things up 🙂 One reason could be that I didn’t like routines for myself but keep my kiddo on a schedule – but we will not talk about that! 🙂 Honestly speaking, there was a boredom that crept in the day to day routine that I just couldn’t explain. I felt I was waiting from one holiday to the next to do the crazy things I wanted to do as there was never time in my everyday. On reflection, that’s exactly what I changed. I realized that I can move forward from this cycle that I had fallen into, by doing something new in my everyday. It could be in the smallest of things.
Like this time when I made my little one try out a rickshaw when we could have easily taken a car. A rickshaw is a signature Calcutta transport. I loved that Veer could experience it and it definitely made for a more fun memory! 🙂
Then there was this time when I went to visit my Dad. He is a very traditional and proud Indian. So on a whim, I decided to give him a surprise where I wore the traditional attire from Bengal in India. I convinced my sister to do the same and it made for an evening that we talk about even now! 🙂
I also loved CT Jen F’s idea of turning off electronics. I would love to do that – I just don’t think I am brave enough! LOL 🙂
And then finally, nothing beats a good vacation to help us do new things and move forward by breaking shackles that might be holding us back. Sharing here a layout by CT LindyShay. What an exhilarating experience she captured!
I hope these ideas inspire you to think about something new that you can do in your everyday that will excite you and move you forward positively.
I am hosting a challenge over at the forum. I’d love for you to visit me there and share your ideas and pages on trying something new.
About the author: Pallavi is a wife and newly designated stay at home mom to 3 years old Rajveer. She currently lives in Mexico City and her family moves around a lot. She has previously lived in Calcutta, Pune, San Francisco, Chicago and London. She reflects all these places in her pages as she captures her everyday stories.