Keep Your Routine Simple

These past few days, I've been struggling with sleep. Usually, this would happen after a night out. This time it happened when all I did was hit the gym in the morning and relax in the afternoon. I started backtracking and blamed it on not eating a salad that day and skipping yoga. So, I switched things up, I went to yoga and added an avocado to my meal to feel somewhat healthy. This time, before bed, I left my phone in my office and I journaled for an hour. I filled up four full pages in my notebook! I didn't realize I had so much on my mind. Then, I showered and read a book in bed before calling it a night. Still couldn't sleep! I lay in bed, trying to just focus on my breath

in

and

out...

and that's when it clicked. I couldn't stop thinking.

My mind has been overstimulated by all these TikToks about bettering myself and Instagram posts that inspire me to be more creative. I've been so excited to bring all these thoughts to fruition that I genuinely couldn't wait to do so. But when I woke up, I just followed the same routine: gym, yoga, and reading. I wasn't doing anything with that motivation; it just sat there.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm practicing what I'm preaching. Today, I woke up and was intentional about my day. I meditated, used Bloom (a self-therapy app), and set my intentions for the day. I was inspired to keep things simple today. The night before, I had planned on going to the library and doing schoolwork but instead I ended up creating a wallpaper for my iPhone with a cute affirmation and then decided to create a carousel of shadow work prompts that have helped me grow. It was so much fun and I felt fulfilled artistically. Now I'm writing this blog post.

I tend to have this all-or-nothing attitude and it can mess with important aspects of my life. I love a routine, but every day doesn't have to be the same. I want to practice being more present daily. I was bored of rest, can you believe that? "Ok, back in the gym and happy with my body. Now what?" I felt like I was always ready for something new. Which isn't a bad thing, I do love trying new things but I wasn't e n j o y i n g the current activities. I didn't feel like I was doing enough.

Ask yourself, "how can I be more present today?" and make sure you're having fun with whatever you're doing. You deserve to play, even as an adult. Instead of beating yourself up for not following your routine, be flexible and open to new routines. Try to be less specific. For example, instead of "go to the gym", intend to "do some movement" for the day!

It's important not to compare your productivity to others or what you see in the media. You are on your journey, it is your path for a reason. Embrace the uniqueness of it.