Routines, Addictions & Fixes
(This article was originally published on LinkedIn on July 1, 2025 )
I’ve been struggling with my routines around fitness, especially exercise, for over a couple of months now — ever since the wedding events of my daughter, Srushti, in June. It’s been nearly two months where life has felt very different on so many levels.
I am fascinated by how much I (and perhaps many others) value the normal — the routines of daily life. The “disturbance” to this routine could come from a happy event like a wedding, or something difficult like illness or loss. Either way, there’s often a deep-seated urge to return to routine — a longing for the familiar. Is it because we feel safer, more in control, more in-charge when the familiar surrounds us? When a routine is in place, life feels manageable.
For me, these last few weeks have felt like an immersion into uncertainty, being at the mercy of others. When things didn’t go as per “the plan,” I could clearly see my reactions — anger, frustration, blame — surfacing, desperate to steal the show. I so wanted to jump in, straighten things out, get real!
There was also a hankering for the structure of exercise time, time alone, doing what I liked, when I liked. To just chill. To not have to make decisions or have difficult conversations. To stay “safe,” to maintain the illusion that all is good and nothing needs to change!
An addiction to the familiar, perhaps?
Getting my daily “fixes” through routine — the rhythm of life tightly controlled to fit my ego’s version of the “good life.” Keeping up appearances, avoiding questions lurking around the corner. Hiding behind well established ways of being and doing that make for a comfortable, predictable life in an urban setting. Getting used to the trappings of a good life. And then falling into the trap of wanting more of the same, rather than waking up to the shifts — both around and within.
Initially, I thought I just needed a break from the immediate stress of wedding planning. Everything had gone well, and that brought relief and celebration. But it was also an ending — though I didn’t see it that way until much later. And so, I kept wanting to “get back to the routine.”
Somehow, by the grace of God, the guidance of my coaches, the wisdom of my children, and the love of my friends, I first became aware of this deeper shift beneath the surface. Life in its infinite kindness showed me that there’s no going back.
Many signals of change — which I had ignored or muted — were now undeniably here. Whether it was shifting furniture or replacing old equipment, changes needed to happen. Long conversations about what’s happening within me — what my heart truly wants and what my body needs — have slowly led me toward a gentler, more honest way of re-engaging with life.
Not from habit. But from a place of gratitude for what has been. From a place of excitement for what is being born. From a place of quiet confidence, built on wisdom earned from authentically engaging with life — in all its colors, chaos, and vibrant shifts.
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So, looking forward to new walks, talks… into the land of freedom, love, peace, and joy!
