Monday Matters! “Can’t Break That Habit?”

Herky Cutler, Columnist, Pincher Creek Voice

Herky Cutler

So I was at the pool the other day, and after my swim, it was shower time. The shower facility at the pool is a small open area with 6 shower heads. I have been swimming at this pool for years, and I ALWAYS use the same shower head if it’s available. ALWAYS! Now I have excellent reasons for doing so, (we always have good reasons for perpetuating our habits don’t we?), as that particular shower has a nice steady stream, it’s on the end so it’s easy to get to if other people are around, it’s close to the change area so access to my towel is quick, and so on.


On this particular day however, I noticed that when I got to the shower area, one of the heads was still streaming water when all the others, including “mine,” had stopped. I was drawn to it, like a moth to a flame, and as difficult as it was, I began to shower using a foreign head! I could feel the anxiety, if even for a moment, that comes with trying something new, especially when what was old is still perfectly good. Within seconds however, I was in sheer bliss. This head did not shut off after 20-30 seconds, in fact, it never shut off the entire time I was in there! AND, the water was continually warm/hot as opposed to warm/hot/cold/warm/hot.

I felt invigorated. I felt alive. I felt free. I actually felt cleaner! When I thought about it later, I experience those feelings whenever I try something new (well, maybe not the “cleaner” piece). So maybe, just maybe, if we continue to try new things, even though the old ones still work, we will feel more invigorated, more alive, and more free. Now that’s a habit worth having don’t you think?
It’s a MATTER of choice! Why don’t you change ONE habit of yours this week?

 Check out this classic tune sung by Billy Field!