My New Daily Routine & Habits
Hey there… Welcome! I have something I’m really excited to share with ya’ll. Recently I’ve begun a new daily routine that has been dramatically life changing, and what’s interesting about this routine is that it is something I didn’t realize I absolutely needed.
Many of you know that I struggled with adrenal fatigue for a very long time… And if you are familiar with my posts you will know that I highly encourage a lifestyle that supports stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. In essence, I want you to teach your mind and body to relax automatically.
Interestingly, when I recovered from adrenal fatigue there wasn’t a specific day or moment that I realized I was suddenly cured. In actuality, I still felt a lot of the same things that I felt before; the only difference is my ability to be resilient among those stressful situations, and bounce back from more challenging or exhausting events - without burning out.
But I still wanted to discover if I can truly feel amazing. You know the way you used to feel when you were a kid, full of energy and almost oblivious to external discomforts… I first began with broader strokes, such as looking into what foods I may be more sensitive or resistant to, as well as environmental factors that could be causing more stress to my immune system, in addition to the same key factors for recovery; Am I getting enough sleep? Aware of my pH and Blood sugar balance... all the things we’ve been discussing here
What I failed to realize is that there was still another level to energy and health. There was still an upgrade to feeling even better, becoming even more focused and clear, finding even more motivation, and having even more resilience. And I didn’t realize it until I recently experienced one full week of the worst migraine I’ve ever had in my life...
Let me tell you. It was awful. I’ve never experienced anything like that before..
I believe when the body is in balance and is healthy, it doesn’t chronically complain. Sure, it will tell you when it’s too cold or if your bedtime is getting late, but there will rarely be any abrupt symptoms that are life altering and debilitating such as the migraine I was experiencing unless something is severely out of line.
What this made me realize was that even though my blood tests show up as perfectly balanced, my life wasn’t.
I knew, this was the time I needed to revamp. I was more motivated than ever to NEVER experience a migraine like this again. Not only is it painfully uncomfortable, it cost me a lot; time with my family, my ability to accomplish work, and feeling good about life.
So I created a new daily routine that would set me up for success and fill all these gaps I knew I was neglecting... and I was astounded by how immediately life changing it was. Not only did I recover from my migraine within a few days, I was feeling better than I ever had since I developed adrenal fatigue. I was more energetic, accomplished more in my day... and here’s the kicker: I was three months pregnant.
When life changes, or new stressors occur, like a new job or getting pregnant… You need to have a back up plan to increase the level of support for your mind and body. While I certainly implemented a number of changes during pregnancy, I knew I was still neglecting some important factors that helped support restoration; such as early bed times, intentional morning routines, and practicing daily yoga.
One of the first things I started to do was incorporate more movement into my day. I also implemented one yoga or stretching session per day, in addition to a daily foam rolling session. I tightened up and prioritized my morning and bedtime routines. Evening routines now began even earlier... Upon waking, my routine consists of meditation or visualization, followed by reading, stretching, our regular morning homestead routine checking the chickens and the gardens, and breakfast with Spanish lessons before heading off to work.
There’s flexibility in this routine for mornings I could use some extra sleep or a slower flow. Something I’d normally adjust in my bedtime routine, but considering this is pregnancy, I found that it was helpful to have that fluidity and maintain PNS activation (that parasympathetic nervous system we mentioned earlier). The important thing is that there’s flexibility for your specific lifestyle, and the routine can be adjusted as needed.
Keep in mind I say adjusted as NEEDED, not as “preferred”. So this doesn’t mean adjust the routine because you don’t feel like doing a part of it today or because it’s more convenient to your social schedule... we are really positioning ourselves for the most energy and best success possible.
Starting each day like this actually gave me a head start, and more time in my day. This, in and of itself, was absolutely liberating. I was no longer scrambling and dragging to accomplish my “stuff”. I was extremely proficient throughout the whole day and I had all this extra time to play and do what I wanted... I’d say that alone makes the effort totally worth it.
So key elements to creating a routine for yourself... (I’m not actually endorsing that you follow my specific routine, but I share it with you so you can get an example of what these key elements may look like):
Number one, Rev up and Rev down. In the mornings, don’t just hop to it right away. I know so many motivational books and speeches talk about jumping right out of bed and jumping in a freezing shower or whatever... but if you’re struggling with energy or are looking to build more, this is counter productive. Your mind is in a highly restorative and subconsciously open disposition when you wake up. This is a magical time to maintain that state and cultivate the flow for the rest of your day. You’ll notice your mind and body become more naturally alive as you implement this each morning.
Similarly, in the evenings, if you want deeper and more restful sleep, you’ll want to wind down. Don’t watch action movies, or look at one last email before turning the lights out. You want to work backwards from your morning routine and find ways to relax your mind the closer you get to bedtime, so your mind and body are primed to slip into deep sleep and to stay there.
Step two, begin to incorporate more mind... things like journaling, reading, or maybe this is where you visualize... Get creative! But make sure this space is more fun and less about problem solving or heavy thinking.
Next, add the body. I initially neglected my daily yoga session because we started homesteading and I assumed our morning garden walks were enough. I want to point this out, because it’s a great example of why it’s important to remove the idea that there is anything specific you “should” be doing, but rather focus on implementing the very things that bring the most benefit toward how you feel and function throughout the day. While garden walks facilitate a bit of exercise, it did not give me the restorative movement I needed to keep my body’s flexibility in balance.
Lastly, we have to take care of the body. Mornings and evenings usually consists of hygienic and eating routines, so find the best places you can incorporate these. During my adrenal fatigue days, the first step was to feed the body before getting to anything else. As mentioned, keep yourself open and flexible to customize the best routine for you.
I know for many of you, it may feel like you simply do not have the time and energy to incorporate these routines. If you are in a place you feel like you don’t have the time and energy, then you absolutely need to start creating routines. These routines bring resilience and stability to your day, you will have more energy, proficiency, and time... exactly the things you feel like you lack. THIS is how you obtain them.
In the words of Brendan Burchard (High Performance Habits), “You simply cannot beat the norms if you’ve driven yourself into the ground... High performers’ sustained success is due in large part to their healthy approach to living.”
Find ways to support your mind and body in a healthier approach to living. Do this consciously and you will find yourself with a clear path of communication to your internal awareness and practical instinct of how to gain balance and energy in your everyday.