Getting Back To a Morning Routine
So, funny story….I had planned to release this blog post back in September, to get ahead of the insanity of back to school and the change of seasons and well, I didn’t cuz I got swept up in the chaos. But, I did start to practice what I preach and started working on some sort of semblance of a morning routine. I’ll share my original post for September (in November!!!!!!) and you can watch this space for some updates on how it’s going, what’s been working, what didn’t stick, what I’ve changed and how I’ve tried to make some of these habits a bit stickier.
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My nighttime routine is dialed in! Has been since forever. My skincare routine, brushing my teeth, crawling into bed with a book…dialed! I love it. I need it. Sometimes I do it hours before I’m sleepy cuz I just crave it.
My morning routine. Hmmmm. I think I had one, once upon a time. When I worked in an office, I had such a routine that I could do it with my eyes closed - and usually they were, because I’m not a morning person and I didn’t want to get up and go to work - but since I’ve left the 9-5 and work from home, often in one of my many bougie sweatsuits, I don’t have anything that even closely resembles a routine. Except coffee. Give it to me ASAP!!
I really want to be one of those people who has a great morning routine that they look forward to. I’m GOING TO BE! I feel like it will just help me ease into my day better and set me up to feel happier and more efficient and productive. And maybe a wee less grouchy.
These are the things I’ve been thinking about adding to my morning routine.
Meditation. I adore meditation and all of the benefits of it. I help people meditate. I fully believe in it. But there are times (a lot of times) where I resist. Even if it’s 5 minutes in the morning, it’s better than no minutes. And it makes the rest of the day so much more zen.
Journaling. Even just a couple of lines. So much goodness comes out onto a page if you just let yourself write. But again, I resist. (Fun fact, I am stubborn AF!!! I resist a lot of stuff that’s good for me.)
Warm water with lemon BEFORE coffee. I love, love, love warm water with lemon, but I always head straight to Jurgen Jura, my beloved coffee maker and most prized possession. One thing I found that helps this habit is making lemon juice ice cubes. Pop two of those babies in a liter of warm/hot water and you’re golden!
Movement or stretching. Pilates has always been my exercise of choice, but I’ve been off it for a lonnnnnnnnnng time. I always get lower back pains and know that Pilates helps that so much. Strong core, happy back. Again, even 10-15 minutes is better than no minutes.
Those are my big 4. I’m sure I’ll think of others along the way, but I’m a big fan of starting small. That’s not entirely true. I’m always an all or nothing, so I’m pushing myself to be somewhere in the middle. So I’m a new fan of starting small. Making little changes. Not deciding that come Monday morning, I’m saying “new week, new me” and by Wednesday I’m like “meh, routines just aren’t my jam”.
Come along for the ride?
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Someone I greatly admire (Hi Jenny!!) shared a really great tip with me recently for coming up with and sharing content in a way that feels more aligned for me. The thing that most lights me up is coaching and helping others see situations they are feeling stuck in from a different perspective. So, I would love to offer an AMA (ask me anything) to my favorite humans, which includes you if you're reading this. If this calls to you, you can comment on this post or send me a note on Instagram and I will offer my perspective on your situation.
