Associate Reflection | Routine Over Inspiration

By Katie Hanover

Have you ever felt uninspired? I'm a person that tends to lean heavily into my feelings, for better or worse, when it comes to inspiration leading to action. Even writing this reflection, I have gone back and forth about different topics, tossing and turning each one over and over. Putting one down, picking another back up, willing it to form into the right shape.

Sometimes we wait for that spark to even think about a new project. We wait for the right circumstances, the right ambiance, the right aesthetic. We want our environment and frame of mind to be just right before we start. We are ironically paralyzed by our desire to feel present and inspired. There is always a reason to pause. To wait. 

This isn’t an inherently bad practice. It’s natural to not want to leap into action too quickly for fear of doing something wrong. But sometimes, we let perfection be the enemy of good. 

One thing that has helped me with this seemingly involuntary paralysis is the practice of routine. All too often, we rely on inspiration and motivation to be our hero. We tell ourselves, “If I can just have enough willpower, I can change.” But what I’m finding to be more helpful is consistency over motivation. Consistent, small progress over perfection. Consistent, minor, mundane action can lead to tremendous results even when inspiration is scarce.

Whether it is a task calendar, meal plan, workout routine, or habit tracker – finding ways to consistently implement small, daily, positive actions has led me to immense personal growth. Improving my cardio fitness, eating more fruits and vegetables, finally losing that stubborn 30 pounds, and changing my career path have all manifested through slow, daily, sometimes boring actions that didn’t seem to be making a difference in the day-to-day grind. 

I have to remind myself frequently that these practices may not bring glory or attention at first, or at all. Routine and habit are worth it, though. They have a way of showing us what we are made of, what is important to us, and who we are. I challenge you to pick one small routine or habit to track over the course of the month. This habit may not leave you feeling satisfied every step of the way. But there is beauty in the journey, even if you’re just putting one foot in front of the other at first.