This past week I moved from Martha’s Vineyard to Connecticut; lots of packing and unpacking; organizing and discarding. Now that I am fairly (?) settled in my new place, I realize how challenging change can be, even when we plan for it.

Our daily routines are programed in our heads and once our circumstances change, it’s disorienting. For instance, when you’re in the kitchen making your morning coffee, you naturally expect the coffee, the refrigerator, the coffee pot to be where you always had it. You have muscle memory of your routines.

You get up in the night to use the bathroom. You expect to walk in a certain direction. Now that’s changed and perhaps you walk into a wall before you realize things are different!

We have “muscle” memory of our everyday lives which makes us feel comfortable and safe. Once all that is turned upside down, we are challenged in new ways to build new routines and habits.

This change, though stressful, is good for our brain health and well being. We learn to stimulate our brains in new ways.

When was the last time you changed your routine?

What would happen if you rearranged your workspace for starters?

Too often we get stagnant in our work and our lives. If your job has become too routine, look for new opportunities at work to build your skills and challenge yourself. Perhaps investigate taking some courses to build your skill set in a certain area or look for volunteer opportunities in your community.

Don’t be afraid of change. It’s stimulating. Change things up a bit to stay vibrant, healthy, and marketable!