Insanity is commonly defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This makes perfect sense logically, although I rarely recognize it when I get wrapped up in my daily routines. 
Last Friday, my SiriusXM radio happened to be set to The Highway when I started my morning commute. I suppose I got tired of listening to all of the other radio stations I more regularly listen to during my long commute home the day before because I don’t typically listen to country music. Having made fun of my mom literally for years for listening to country music, I’ve only recently come to appreciate the sounds of Luke Bryan, The Band Perry, Jason Aldean, and the like. I still turn to other music genres as my first pick though and only default to country when everything else isn’t working for me.
Some of you may be reading this thinking that you love country music and I’m crazy. Others are probably thinking the opposite about how many brain cells I must have killed singing to those country tunes. Regardless of your listening pleasures, I invite you to look past that and consider what it is you do in your life over and over and over again expecting to produce different results.
Last Friday, I clearly needed something different in my life to break the cycle and get me out of my old routines. The music is simply what created this awareness for me. In more tragic circumstances, it’s raging fires threatening my home in Malibu, California or terrifying tornadoes moving up the eastern seaboard that have me pause to appreciate the gifts of my life, and especially my family who give me balance and pleasure beyond which words can describe. In less dramatic situations, it’s simply writing one more project proposal for a client prospect who seemingly loves me and desperately needs me only to have him or her never return an email or phone call again.
It’s not that I’m broken or my life is a complete failure. It’s simply that I have a pattern about me that comes from my natural tendencies and inclinations that doesn’t always produce my desired outcomes. I suppose that’s why we call it life! When I look at that more objectively, I don’t feel bad about not succeeding and getting what I want. In fact, I actually get inspired to do things differently which is exactly what I need to produce different results.
So I ask you, what are you doing over and over again that doesn’t produce your desired outcomes all the time? Maybe it’s time for you to start listening to some country music to break those patterns and routines.
