What If? What Else?

Life's Little Detours

What is a detour?

According to the dictionary – a deviation from a direct, usually shorter route or course of action —

You may look at detours as one of life’s annoyances. Not me! I use detours to perk up my day. They are always interesting, and you never know where they will lead you.

There are two kinds of detours. There are those that are unexpected— take you out of your way and waste your time. If you were ever detoured in traffic, you know what I mean.

Then, there is the other kind. Detours we deliberately take. These detours make life interesting. They shake up routine. When living becomes too predictable — too boring, it is time for a detour.

Detours we deliberately take – detours that make life interesting. They shake up routine.

Some of us always eat the same kind of food – at the same time, all the time. Some of us dislike certain food and cross it off our list of what we eat. We use the same route to drive to the same places. We do things in a routine and predictable way. It’s what puts boring or sameness into our lives.

To put interesting back in, we need to take detours — do the unexpected and shake it up a bit. Little detours can put the spark back in your routine and your life.

Use the same route to go home every night? Try going another way – Just do it. It may take you out of your way, but who knows what you might encounter. You might bump into an old friend, make a new one, or find something you had been looking for. It's called serendipity – when you find something wonderful, and you weren't even looking.

Try surprising your partner with flowers, tickets and dinner — whatever. Something out of your daily routine and watch the smiles and sparks fly.

It's called serendipity – when you find something wonderful, and you weren't even looking.

Try eating something that you think you dislike. Go ahead, give it a try. You may have changed your mind and your taste.

Strike up a conversation with someone when you are on line. Buy something in a color you think is too bold, or just not you. The idea is to shake it up, take a detour.

Do something you have only been thinking about – do it now! Laugh out loud! Right now, where you are! Being in the moment can be exhilarating.

In the age of the Internet, just mixing with people more is taking a detour. You never know what you will discover about yourself, if you just step out of your comfort orb or routine. One thing is sure; you won’t be bored —