I see repetition everywhere including, and perhaps especially, in the things I say, think and do. I know that I am not alone in this as I see it all around me in politics, retail and leisure sectors in particular.
Some say repetition is boring and causes stagnation. Others say it is comforting, useful, productive or aids learning. I can see the argument for all of these positions. And in some ways, I may have applied all of them in my life at one time or another.
Certainly, the most common use of repetition in my life is in the development of routines and procedures, and is least (not at all) present in developing a practice of physical workout, which has much greater focus for other people, arguably to the detriment of me.
There are those who prefer to completely ignore or refuse to have repetition in their lives, inasmuch as they can manage, without causing themselves harm, whether this be from an anarchy or total rebellion position, or from a position of curiosity. I know this because I have personally tried to take that position when I was younger.
I was not at all successful in doing so, and was eventually more stubborn and bloody-minded than anything else, choosing to live by constantly cutting my nose off to spite my face (so to speak), and eventually inflicting a lot of harm on myself in the process.
Eventually, I began the process of trying to fix myself, and did so largely through ‘To-Do lists’, which gradually settled into routines and procedures.
When I made the decision somewhere along the line to make learning a large part of my reality, repetition became important, and spaced repetition was even more important for retention and building of knowledge. I discovered that it was great for consistency and better mental health, too.
Nothing is ever perfect, and from my perspective, it is also important to break out of the ‘routines and procedures’ lifestyle now and again, to bring fresh ideas, cut the dead wood away, and to stop things being boring and becoming stagnant. And a little rebellion is more and more good for you, the older you become.
That being said, I don’t want to abandon the idea of routines and procedures as I have grown into them and their usefulness. And when it comes to writing, a bit of everything chucked into the pot can be good sometimes.
These are my thoughts, anyway, but they are built on cultural expectations and personal lived experiences, alongside learning. Many other people have developed different mindsets, based on their differing paths through life. And many of them are on Medium, bringing a great variety of styles of writing to the fore.
Hooray for diversity!
Fraser
May 2024