Many of us struggle to take time for ourselves because life happens. And I am no exception. I shift gears and wear multiple hats throughout my week as a marketing consultant, business development manager, yoga and meditation teacher, and entrepreneur. Outside of work, I am a daughter, sister, friend, lover, fur mom to my loved ones. How many hats do you wear? Does it ever feel overwhelming?
If yes, what do you do?
We can’t stop the world from moving but in the little things we do, we can slow down our lives to work for us. It is a matter of giving ourselves the permission to do so, the choice to just chill, let go and just be. No attachments, no guilt. Just purity in nothingness and bliss in mindfulness.
One of the things I have learned to do is inspired by the Wellness edition of VegNews. This is a quarterly magazine I enjoy reading to draw inspiration for plant based living and how I can be more mindful in health and wellness. On page 39 in their Wellness edition, they feature a Morning Routine section. You choose five activities below to build an easy routine to start the day with intent.
- Drink at least 8oz of room temperature water right after waking up
- Do 15 minutes of yoga flow or stretching
- Make your bed
- Review your schedule for the day and send out any necessary confirmations
- Take a brisk walk and leave your cell phone behind
- Spend time with companion animals
- Brew a cup of tea or coffee
- Prepare lunch to avoid costly junk food later
- Spend social time with your partner or roommate
- Take in natural light by opening those blackout curtains or go outside
- Catch up on current affairs through your go-to news outlet
- Listen to a 20-minute thoughtful podcast
- Do 10 push-ups
- Say some daily affirmations and tell yourself how great you are
- Watch a TED Talk about something inspirational
- Read one chapter of a book
- Make a nutritious breakfast that will set you up for success
- Do 10 minutes of meditation
- Respond to three personal emails or texts before work starts
- Write a journal entry to set your intentions for the day
You can select any five and in any order. Make it a daily routine every day and stick to it. Allow yourself extra time in the morning to fulfill these and see how it can change your day and the rest of the days, weeks, and months to come.
For me, my five activities for October has been:
- Drink at least 8oz of room temperature water right after waking up
- Do 15 minutes of yoga flow and stretching on the bed
- Spend time with my fur baby Mochi before breakfast
- Make a nutritious oatmeal breakfast
- Set an intention for the day, repeat it three times
I do these all before getting dressed and ready for my day and it makes a difference in how I engage into everything I do, feel and see when I am out in the world. I feel more motivated, productive, and above all else, happy.
I hope this week’s post inspires you to bring mindfulness to your daily life. Remember…
It is so easy for us to get caught up in life, but it is also okay to step back and slow down. We don’t need to feel guilty for taking time to ourselves because in a society where we are always asked to be more and do more, we actually need more time to do less and be okay.