Metaphorically speaking......

I am thinking in metaphors this morning.......

As I mentioned, I'm realizing that paring down all the physical stuff in my life is a process not an event, rats! I also mentioned that changing up one's environment is only the beginning of the heavy lifting of shifting some old patterns and habits, challenging!

So, it would be nice to think that I could, hey presto!, get rid of those old patterns and habits in one fell swoop. Nice to think, but not realistic, major bummer! I'm thinking of my physical stuff as representing all those habits and routines. I've made the initial clean sweep of it but much more remains to be done. It's a perfect metaphor for the changes I'm making.

What brought these thoughts on is I can feel myself trying to incorporate some of my old routines in the new place.

In the words of Amy Winehouse, No, No, No!

This is going to take vigilance on my part. Just the simple morning routine of getting a cup of tea and reading the newspaper is one I've followed for years, taking great pleasure in the slow start. Very few things get in the way of that and this morning, there is no newspaper on the lawn. My grumpy reaction to that made me realize the hold that has on me. I'm going to stop it, gulp, and see what comes of it. Well, maybe all but Sunday morning so I can read the New York Times :)

Seriously, I am going to experiment with getting up, getting my cup of tea and doing my journalling first thing. The value for me of journalling is only now becoming apparent to me and as far as starting the day with the most valuable thing possible....I think that could be it. Check out next blog entry for a little explanation.

Food. That's the other thing. At my old house, I lived a few blocks from a wonderful gourmet market that sold lots of prepared food. So, most nights around 7:30 I would think what I wanted, go there and get it. Not exactly good for my wallet and probably not so good for me, again a habit. I'm a bit of a fish out of water without that here. Nothing quite so close and the Whole Foods closest to me is even more expensive than the CM.

I've been wanting to change some eating habits so I think the time is now to do it. Keep away from turkey sandwiches (my favorite fall back) and develop some new fall backs.

These may seem like small things but now that I am in a new place and I can more clearly see the pattern, I am realizing the incredibly strong hold they have over me. I suspect that as insignificant as they are, if I can't change those, some of the other changes I am making will be difficult to say the least.

I have a theory that creating change in one's self is like working out at the gym. If your muscles are flabby and out of shape, it's going to be danged hard to benchpress 200 lbs. one random day. If you work out regularly (like changing seemingly insignificant routines occasionally), it will be easier when it really counts.

We'll see.....