Shaking Up Our Routine

Do you ever find yourself in a rut? I am very much a creature of habit and tend to stick to my tried and true workout classes with my favorite teachers that I know I’m going to enjoy. Lately, I’ve been wanting to shake things up a bit and try something new. This week, I went to Jenni Brouwer’s Pilates Fusion class at The Pharm for the first time (Tuesday mornings at 10:30am). It was amazing. I haven’t taken Pilates in quite some time, as I have really been focusing on barre and yoga classes over the past few years. I’m so glad I tried something new! Jenni is a wonderful teacher and brings such a nurturing energy to the class. You really can’t go wrong with any class at The Pharm, since the entire energy and atmosphere of the studio is welcoming and encouraging. This particular class left me feeling strong and energized. The beauty of trying something new is that every class and experience does something different for my mind and my body. It also keeps my mind sharp, since I’m following a new teacher and a new style of working out.

I try to walk into any new experience with no expectations, remaining open to a new situation and what I need to take away from it. This is even true for classes I regularly attend, setting an intention to be open to what I need to receive on any given day. I find that when I get stuck in my routine, in any area of my life, I really need to make the effort to push myself to try something new. When I do, it is always worth it. I can’t think of a time when I wasn’t happy that I did something outside of my comfort zone. Whether or not it is something that is a fit for me or that I want to continue, it always has something to teach me about myself or something that I’m going through at the time. More often than not, I find a new favorite class or teacher, have a beautiful conversation or interaction with someone, or just feel proud of myself for giving it a try. I find this especially relevant these days, when things have continued to change with the pandemic. I had such a regular routine when I was just at home every day that it was actually a bit unsettling to change things up once I could have a bit more freedom again. I’ve given myself permission to move at a pace that feels comfortable for me.

Regardless of what area of life feels a bit stagnant for us, there is always the opportunity to step outside of our routine and comfort zone and try something new. What are some new things that you want to try this week? Let me know in the comments. The Pharm also has some amazing new classes to try, like the Kundalini class with River Galindo on Wednesdays at 11am or Klaudia Paletta’s Yin and Meditation class at 5:30pm on Thursdays.