Want to know the secret to keeping your life exciting? It's not much of a secret at all when you think about it. It's just that people are unwilling to invest the effort required. The secret to keeping your life lies in avoiding or breaking something that begins with an "r" and ends in an "e." Can you guess what that word is? If you said "routine," you're absolutely right. Nothing sucks the fun out of life quite like routine does. Granted, there are some routines we can't do away with -- reporting for work at 9 a.m. sharp, taking Suzy to ballet class every Saturday afternoon, vising the dentist every couple of months -- but there's no reason for your life to be scripted entirely. Feeling as though you're running on autopilot all the time is the surest way to feeling bored. Whatever routines we have should be interspersed with new experiences. Visit a new state or country. Take up a new hobby. Try out a restaurant you'v...

Life is too short to live on autopilot all the time . While some routine is good, too much of it can make us feel as though our lives are stuck in a holding pattern. The axiom "variety is the spice of life" isn't just some tired cliché. The more you continue to do things in exactly the same manner, the less you grow. Rather than being focused on the here and now -- and what the future will bring -- you're stuck in your old tried-and-true ways. In the long run, this will only breed discontentment and regret. Even little changes can make a considerable difference: Taking a slightly different route to and from work Trying out different restaurants  Checking out new events in town Going to the gym in the morning some days and in the evening on others Broadening your horizons by exploring new cities/countries Changing your look every so often (e.g., different haircut or wardrobe) Eating lunch at different times on different days Considering new job opportun...