Many of us are creatures of habit. There is a sense of security and comfort in knowing what is going to happen next and if we are vulnerable to anxiety, we tend to try to control as much of our day as possible. This becomes problematic when life throws up an obstacle and suddenly we are struggling to remain standing on shifting sands, which adds additional stress and increases our anxiety.
If we can experiment with extending the boundaries of our comfort zone when things are stable, we will be better able to cope when life goes awry.
First, take stock of your daily routine. How predictable is your daily routine?
Remember that it is not helpful to make judgments about what you discover. It is just a snapshot of where you are right now.
Now, experiment with doing something in a completely different way. Choose something small, such as what you have for lunch or the route you regularly take to work. Next, decide how long you will do this one thing differently—for example, for one day or one week.
Then, do it! Be creative. Be playful.