In Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, When Cameron is home sick, Ferris decides to play hooky at home. He tells Cameron to come over and pick him up so they can do something. Cameron claims that he is sick, feels like he is dying and can’t. Ferris responds, “You’re not dying, you just can’t think of anything good to do.”
It is easy to succumb to the monotony of our daily lives. It can cause us to feel bored or depressed. And sometimes, there is a simple, yet effective remedy – pattern disruption.
While having a daily routine can be helpful, it can also prevent us from examining or altering our habits that can have a limiting effect on our lives. The best way to break out of old patterns and routines, is to change your environment and what you do.
Some examples of pattern disruption include:
- For 24 hours, focus only on the positive aspects of your life. Practice gratitude.
- Take a 24-hour digital detox from social media.
- Do an activity you enjoyed as a kid – even if you feel silly doing it.
- Listen to new music.
- Travel to a nearby town you haven’t been to and have lunch outside.
- Get lost in a place you’ve never explored before.
- Do something nice for someone.
- Pick up a new hobby.
- Leave a bigger tip for someone.
- Join a new club or group.
- Read a book from an author you’ve never read before.
- Make conversation with someone you don’t know.
- Shop at a different grocery store chain.
These changes seem like small things, but they go a long way in making your life more interesting. I remember the joy of seeing a little specialty grocery store in a city we had moved to. We passed by it all the time until one day, my husband and I decided to stop and go inside. And what we discovered was amazing! There was a bakery inside it that made bread like from back home. We were so happy to have found it! One of our biggest gripes about where we were living at the time was that you couldn’t find decent bread in bakeries.
Take the chance and do something new. You never know what you will discover.
