Routine

I started off this semester working out every morning. I'd wake up at 5:10, dig out clean socks from my underwear draw, refill my Nalgene and head to the fitness center on campus. About a month or so into the new school year, I came down with an aggressive chest cold. Needless to say, I used this as a perfect excuse not to work out. By the time I managed to shake the cold my routine had completely fallen by the wayside.
My sponsor frequently says, "We're [food addicts] are sensitive people." I didn't need Theresa to remind me. Just the soundtrack from Titanic make my eyes water. It's taken my nearly two months to figure out that the sensitivity she's referring to is not the same sensitivity I have to crying babies, adorable kittens and The Notebook. As a food addict, I'm sensitive to change. Honestly, I don't deal with it well. When my daily routine changed my productivity ceased. I took outrageously long naps and I frequently skipped classes. Assignments weren't a priority and making my bed seemed like too much of a task.
After about a month of an irregular schedule, I'm ready to commit to my routine again. Yesterday and today I woke up at 5:10 and headed to the fitness center. Tomorrow my day will begin at 5:10AM. It's only been two days, but I've accomplished more than I have in the past month. I paid my semester's tuition yesterday, I deposited my paycheck at the credit union, I opened a box of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and cleaned the shower, my laundry is back in its rightful place in the closet and dresser, not stacked in the laundry basket at the end of my bed.
I'd encourage you to take five minutes today and consider your routine. Do you have one? Is there a particular way you like to begin your day? Grab a pen and a piece of scrap paper and create a schedule for yourself. Remember, the word 'schedule' isn't synonymous with the word 'mundane'. Just because you have a routine doesn't mean your life will become menial and bland.