The Key to Life

We've all heard the phrase "Consistency is key" before. Where did that belief come from?

It came from the idea that we are designed to form to a routine. A simple, repetitive structure that we follow every day. Routines are great, until you break it. From personal experience, I feel incomplete and get frustrated when my routine is disrupted because I crave a pattern and I like having set times to live out each day. When my routine becomes disrupted, my life seemingly begins crumbling because I don't know what to do with myself with free time that was not there the day before.

I fill my days with activities that are good for my mental health: working out, reading, and limited screen time. These small improvements have made drastic differences in my life because I find myself better able to comprehend daily tasks at work, while also seeing positive changes in my physique as I continue working out, following the same routine.

Sometimes, routines can be beneficial if you are trying to achieve a goal. Consistency is key in order to achieve the results that are sought after. When following the same workout split, I go in to the lift session with a clear plan that helps me stay on track in building muscle and becoming stronger.

Now take a moment and reflect on what routines you have in your life. Do you always spend the first ten minutes of your morning stretching? Is your TV always on while you eat? Are you going the same speed on your way to work every day? After determining what routines exist in your life, let's think about how consistent everything is in your life.

Are you experiencing positive changes in your life after this routine was implemented, or do you find yourself bored and craving to make changes? Don't know how? I am here to help.

I used nail biting as a coping mechanism to combat anxiety and uncertainty that I faced from the time I was enrolled in public school. Nearly 15 years later, I was still biting them and adhering to the routine that I had all created all those years ago. Before you ask, "Why didn't you get acrylics? Did you try that polish that tastes gross? Did you not understand how unhealthy that was, and how much bacteria could be on your fingers?" One: I did get acrylics, and I bit my real nails off as soon as they were taken off. Two: I didn't think the taste was unbearable. Three: I'm convinced biting my nails is what strengthened my immune system in the first place. Ironically, it took me getting Covid to snap out of this habit.

Mysteriously, I had no desire to bite my nails once my positive result became negative. Two weeks later, I have no idea what mental switch I flipped, but I am grateful I did. That is the last "big" unhealthy habit I had been trying to quit.

I am finally able to paint my nails without them looking like nubs. I am finally able to feel confident wearing rings. People can finally see my hands without my fingers being bent out of shame. I can finally save money from acrylics and put it towards something better...maybe paying off my student loans in two years.

The point of my tangent is that I was consistent. I found that the consistency towards things that would provide me with a noticeable difference, because I loved reading about other people's stories on self-improvement and life changes they made.

It took sacrifice, patience, and dedication. At the end of the day, it was all about the bigger picture, and I have consistency to thank for that.