What’s Wrong with Groundhog Day?
Years ago, I had a friend whose parents were 100% committed to their routine. Every time I went over their house it was exactly the same scene: They’d be sitting in their Lay-Z-Boy recliners in the living room. He had a large one, hers was more petite. They’d watch the evening news while having their dinner on TV trays. They had a predictable meal plan. Mondays were steak. Wednesdays were pasta. And always fish on Fridays.
When the evening news was over, she would clear their plates, fold up the trays, and return to her seat— like clockwork. They’d simultaneously pull the levers on their chairs to get fully reclined as they settled in to watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. After the final Jeopardy clue, he would shut the TV off, turn on some Neil Diamond music, and they’d sit for another hour doing their crossword puzzles. Every. Single. Weekday.
At the time, I remember thinking their routine was so boring. It’s like Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day: Over and over experiencing the same thing, with no spontaneity, no break in tradition. The only time they branched out was to go out for dinner on Saturday. Not surprising, they’d go to the same local Friendly’s, sit at the same table, and split a patty melt and fries.
This couple was in their 50’s back then. Yet they seemed so old to me with their predictable patterns and activities. At that time, I was in my early 20’s and had zero routine. I was single, had an apartment and a cat, and could do anything I wanted each day. Sometimes I went to the gym after work, other times I went out with friends. I’d stay up late if I felt like it. My routine back then was the opposite of predictable.
A few years later, I became a financial advisor. The work demanded much more of me. I realized I needed to get to bed earlier. I started eating out less, grocery shopping more, and prepping food for the week. I went to the gym right after work every Monday-Thursday, and pre-cooked meals for the week so I wouldn’t need to do so when I got home from my workout. And on Thursday nights after the gym, I started ordering pizza for delivery. The same guy would show up at my apartment, I’d give him $15 cash for my $12 small cheese pizza, and then I’d settle in to watch Friends & Seinfeld. My new routine started to feel comfortable and predictable. Any outsider might say my life was starting to look like the movie Groundhog Day.
Is this what your life looks like?
At what point do we start to build a routine, create patterns of predictability, and settle into a comfortable way of being? Is it when we need to become more responsible? Is it when our jobs demand it? It is when we find a significant other, and start building a life together? When does our thinking shift from “that’s so boring” to “ahhh, this daily/weekly predictability is so comforting.”
What I once judged as boring now resembles my own life. And I love it.
I leave work every night at the same time. As I am packing up and shutting the lights off at the office, I text Kim to let her know that I am on my way. That’s her cue to put the dinner in the oven. She’s an awesome cook and takes pride in planning all our meals. Mondays we have fish. Tuesdays we have stir fry. Wednesdays we have pasta. And Thursday night is takeout poke bowls.
By the time we finish dinner, the evening news is starting. We clean up the kitchen, load the dishwasher, and watch the highlights of the world news. Then we settle onto the couch before Wheel of Fortune starts.
I guess this is what being in our 50’s looks like… I no longer find routine to be boring. To me it’s comforting. And knowing that stir fry is on the menu for Tuesday is better than waiting until 6pm, wondering what to eat, and having to default to what’s leftover, or worse— order something spontaneous and probably not very healthy.
My life— like my friend’s parents from 25 years ago— is pretty predictable.
Boring? Maybe some would think so. But at 50 years old, I am healthier than I have been in a decade. I go to bed at the same time, get up and the same time, and sleep for almost 8 hours. We eat healthier than ever. All of this takes planning and prep and commitment. This is our routine.
What about you? Do you relish the predictability of your routine, especially when so many other things in life are uncertain and out of your control?
Or are you winging it on a daily basis? Hey, if that works for you, I’m not here to tell you to change it. But if you know you’d benefit from a more predictable routine, and healthier, more consistent patterns, maybe today is the day you switch it up.
Today is Groundhog Day. What if you commit to a new routine, set a plan for your new Miracle Morning*, and like Punxsutawney Phil, you stick to it for the next six weeks?
I think you might enjoy a little Groundhog Day routine in your life.
This Week’s Resources
What’s the Deal with Wordle?
What is Wordle? Think of it as that old game Bogle but connected with today’s technology. You are given one word a day, and six chances to guess it. On November 1st there were 90 people playing it, and today there are more than 300,000 of us who are hooked. You can play the game right here: https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/
Jeopardy and Inclusivity
What’s more noteworthy: Amy Schneider’s $1.3M winning streak on Jeopardy, or the fact that she is a trans woman who’s been in the spotlight on national television? Amy is a humble, brilliant individual, and she shares about her Jeopardy experience— which started during her childhood— in this very informative article that might make you think twice about being judgmental. I know it certainly did for me: https://www.jeopardy.com/jbuzz/contestants/amy-schneider-what-i-learned-my-jeopardy-experience
Getting into a Groove
Are you interested in getting into a groove and creating some routine and predictability in your life? But wondering where to even begin? There are two books you might like to check out: The Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly, and The Morning Miracle* by Hal Elrod. Both have made a huge impact in my life, and might do the same for you.
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