Creatures of habit

During a visit to the beach on the weekend, several little rituals caught my attention. On the sand, it seems people have a particular way of settling into their perfect sunbaking possie... a guy nearby neatly made a little sand cushion with his feet before plopping down to relax while the women in front of me had a very particular way of folding her clothes and using them as a pillow. Of course, I'm not there to observe them on any other day, but I am sure their next visit would involve the same sort of routine.

On the bus ride home I peered into a cafe to see a couple enjoying lunch and sharing the newspaper - for her, Mia Freedman's column, for him, the sports section. I got to thinking about all the daily rituals we all go through and wondered, are we are really just creatures of habit?

I mean, even if you life your life to the max and believe the motto that 'a change is as good as a holiday', you will generally keep particular rituals no matter where you are or what you're doing. For example, getting ready of a morning tends to involve a certain pattern, different for each person. Do you brush your teeth first, or do your hair before getting dressed, or do you eat breakfast in your pyjamas in front of the TV first?

Every day involves a set routine for most people, and it's what keeps us ticking. However, it's important to break out of these rituals as often as you can, before you end up like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. What are some of your rituals? : )

Notes on Glossy Paper