There were some Raisinets stuffed in my stocking this year.  I love me some Raisinets!  Cheap chocolate + dried fruit.  I don’t know how it works…it just does.

These Raisinets are in a box, not a bag.  The boxes have a perforated half circle on one end–this is your way in.  You’re supposed to shove your thumb into the half circle until it gives way and releases the antioxidant-rich bounty.

It didn’t work.  It never works.

Now, the ole Nestle Corp. is pretty varsity, and they know a thing or two about candy and packaging.  They’ve probably held meetings gathering brilliant people together to discuss Raisinets packaging.  I’m sure they have their reasons for keeping the faulty mechanism.  They’re probably good, too (convenience, budget, nostalgia, etc.).  And that’s all fine and good…but it still doesn’t work.

My run in with the Raisinets box has put me in an unexpected evaluation mode.  I’m taking a good hard look at things and asking: “is this working?”  Sometimes they aren’t.

What are the practices/routines/systems in your life that just aren’t working?

It’s almost a new year, and a new decade…you’re supposed to do a little naval-gazing.  So, stop and ask yourself what you want to accomplish with your life.  Then measure the stuff in your life against those desires.  Is that stuff working?

You may have good reasons for keeping those things in (entertainment, convenience, nostalgia, etc.)…but if it’s not working, it’s not working.