Old habits die hard.

There are times in life when we may be forced to give up some things we love. Maybe it’s self-imposed, like putting an end to Amazon binge shopping because you want to save money, or putting down the bottle because you want feel good with hangover free mornings. Then for some, it is dictated by deteriorating health or medical reasons. Suddenly you have to part ways with cherished habits to heal your body and focus on your physical well-being.

What we may not realize is giving up something may be more complex than we think. We might be able to put it aside, but doing so is accompanied by other losses – like rituals and routines.

Last week I had to give up caffeine. I’d been here before. No problem. I excel at change and embrace it, making the most out of almost any challenge – no matter how dire the situation. The coffee had to go because it was really the hazelnut creamer I loved, and not the coffee itself so decaf without the flavored creamer just wouldn’t cut it. So I made the switch to morning tea once again, decaffeinated, and went about my life.

Making the switch was easy, but living with the switch, not so much. I’d felt off and scattered, exhausted for a number of reasons yet this was different. I knew something was missing and I was struggling. Then it dawned on me. My routine was disrupted. No longer did I have to prepare the coffee at night or start it in the morning. No longer did I take a few minutes with that first cup and savor its aroma, wrapping my hands around the mug to enjoy the luxury of that first sip. It was a ritual and the nightly routine of prepping the coffee closed out my day, and brewing it in the morning started it. I felt untethered without those two daily chores.

Who would have thought.

I’ve finally adjusted, but it did make me realize how unconsciously we slip into routines – routines that shape our lives, providing us with a sense of control and structure. It’s intriguing just how lost we can feel without them as we consciously create new ones.

Can you think of something you had to give up or change that altered your daily routine?

Old habits do die hard.