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Happy 2020! It’s been a long time since I’ve been on here. I’m thinking of approaching this entry (and future entries?) as a journal. As always, I have a lot of thoughts and opinions (I’m an Aquarius after all). 

The topic on my mind lately? Daily routines. I know the key to improving one’s life, in general, is to gain control of the small things we do every single day. Like that saying goes: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”. So much truth to that. A seemingly simple task but it isn’t always easy because it takes practice.

One thing I’ve come to learn is that a focused morning routine is a form of self care. And as all of my fellow Xennials and Millennials know, self care is like alllllll the craze right now. No, but seriously, it’s important for our overall well-being and mental health.

As busy as my mornings get, there are a few things I do that always make me feel like I have my shit together.

The night before, I make sure to lay out what I’m going to wear the next day so I don’t have to think about it when I get up. I check that my purse has everything I need, charge my phone, etc. 

In the AM, I try not to hit snooze (sometimes it happens but for the most part I try not to). I do all the basic things like brush my teeth, wash my face, prep my son’s lunch for school, etc and then make time for the following:

I always make time to apply my makeup (because it makes ME feel put together) and enjoy my morning cup of coffee. These two simple things make me feel like I can take on the day ahead. I know you were probably expecting “meditate for 15 min” or “workout for an hour” but that’s not always possible for me first thing in the morning so I do what I can.

The few days a month when I can go to orangetheory or have an hour to spend at a cafe to mentally prep for the day are a treat and I’m grateful to have that luxury. 

I absolutely LOVE breakfast but during the week I mostly make something I can have on the go like yogurt with fruit & granola or- when I’m extra hungry- a breakfast sandwich. However, on the weekends, my favorite thing to do in the AM is make a big breakfast. It gives my kiddo and I time to talk about what we need/want to get done during the day. It’s nice to have that time to just relax. Honestly, it’s the little things that make me feel sane and happy.

Because it’s January I feel like most people are trying to make changes to improve their lives and to me this feels like a great place to start. I guess if you’re feeling overwhelming anxiety, try to create a morning routine that works for you and see if that helps relieve some of that stress you’ve been experiencing.

XOXO

Mel