So, I spend a lot of time in the car. It's 51 miles to work, one way. So for the past two days I've been listening to some audio books on what successful people do by a wonderful writer, Laura Vanderkam. First I listened to her short book "What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast.
Now I've tried to do The Miracle Morning routine and other morning and evening routines but they just weren't me. Vanderkam's book points out the fact that everyone's morning routine is different. I've tried meditation and exercise and visualization and affirmations, all before breakfast and getting dressed. It was just exhausting. I would finish all these things and just wanted to go back to sleep afterwards.
So I paired it down. I've always liked working out in the morning instead of the afternoon, one of the people mentioned in Vanderkam's book said that they liked just getting it over with, this is how I feel as well. So when I wake up in the morning now I have my protein shake then head to the gym or do some yoga off of YouTube, depending on the day. Then I come back, shower and settle in to meditate for twenty minutes. That's it, my entire morning routine. Simple but it gets stuff done and wakes me up.
Now I also do an evening routine. This is when I try to calm my brain so I start by writing in my journal. I do a brain dump and then a writing prompt. It shouldn't take more than thirty minutes. Next I set up my bullet journal page for the next day and do anything in my bujo that I didn't get to during the day. Then I read because this settles my brain. Specifically I don't read on my iPads kindle app but an actual book. I read somewhere that fiction is best for calming your brain, but that doesn't seem to matter, both calm me and both make me think.
Finally I meditate for another twenty minutes, usually with a lavender candle because the smell of lavender is also relaxing. This calms my brain of anything that reading brought up and let's me loosen my muscles. Then I go to sleep.
So while the idea of getting stuff done before breakfast isn't a new one, Laura Vanderkam's book was able to show me that doing it all in the morning isn't necessary, do what works for you, what you will look forward to. Otherwise you will never stick to it and this will just be another New Years resolution that didn't work out.
How does this apply to loving myself? By making myself a priority, by taking care of myself, I am saying that I am important. It's the first step toward every aspect that is needed to love myself.
