Out of the ordinary

Habit wields an uncomfortable power over us - a power which we should try to restrict as much as possible, even if it falls us hard. And the very fact that we are so adverse to attacking the habit is sinister, as it really ought to be so easy. For example, when it comes to meal times, we tend to have a portfolio of a handful of recipes or, in particularly adventurous cases, two handfuls of recipes that we have a tendency to return to, again and again. Not necessarily favorite foods; it's just an easy habit. On the other hand, in these times when the Internet is common property, you do not even have to own a cookbook to have access to a cornucopia of recipes that you could use to provide some variety in everyday life, with a wide palette of flavors and degrees of difficulty, so that there - literally - should be something for everyone. And yet we let the force of habit be the greatest.
It is so little that is required. Just decide that once a week, you will allow yourself to break this habit and try out a new recipe. If it is not possible once a week, then just every other week, or once a month. The probability that something interesting comes out of it is considerable. And that's just one place where you can attack the force of habit. You could walk another way, when going grocery shopping. You could watch something different on TV than what you usually kill time with - or perhaps do something else than watching TV? The possibilities are endless. The force of habit is considerable - but it is extremely easy to attack.
(Translated from Udover det sædvanlige, originally published May 6th, 2013)