If you just found this in your inbox unread but find yourself reading these words for a second time, I have some bad news for you.
It’s February 2nd, Groundhog Day, and you’re in a time loop.
Before the iconic Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day was simply a tradition whose origin I’m not even going to waste my time researching. Then Murray’s existential struggle with self-improvement beyond being a local TV personality became the ultimate comedy of repetition and variation.
What would you do if there was no tomorrow? What if you only had today—over and over and over.
Of course, you may be going through a variation of this now. Perhaps you’re in between jobs, in a jail cell, or in a global pandemic, and every day does feel the same.
All that’s really the same is your routine. You are so routine driven that you wake up and do the same thing every day. It’s either a great way to set your day up for success, or it’s a fall into a fog of repetition.
Over the summer, I instituted donut Friday. It was a way to celebrate the end of the week that seemed to be the same over and over. Eventually, the routine of knowing I ‘had’ to eat donuts every Friday made it less enjoyable. And I love donuts! So now, donuts are more sporadic and enjoyable.
For those stuck in a routine they’d rather eliminate, Groundhog Day should serve as a wake-up call. Perhaps you should play I’ve Got You Babe, by Sonny and Cher, and see how you might escape that repetition.
For others, maybe it’s time to look at how you might improve your routine to add a little more variety and joy. As humans, we need both certainty and uncertainty.
If you’re the groundhog, today is the worst day of the year by far. It’s the only day where people wake you up early and make you display your meteorological wizardry. I’m guessing it’s a day that groundhogs most remember and dread.
If you really are in a time loop, I recommend the following. Learn a musical instrument. Read books that make each day a little different. Pick a skill like darts or juggling to perfect. You’ll eventually get to the other side of this chasm.
And watch out for that first step. It’s a doozy.
