when using a pick, let's say I have a blues riff that is made up of a quarter note, an eight rest and then 4 quarter notes that then cycles through a progression.

Should my up stroke and downstroke picking pattern be the same across the 12 bar progression? I find I don't pay attention to this and maybe it is making my playing less fluid...I vary the up and down without thinking. should I always pick down on the downbeat?