Routines, Rhythms, and Rituals

If you search online, there are thousands, if not millions, of posts about morning routines. How to be more productive, how to get more out of your morning, how to accomplish a whole days worth of work before breakfast. And let me tell you, I have tried those routines. I’ve put together plan after plan for “perfect morning routines” — up at 5, workout 5:15-6, coffee and breakfast from 6-6:45, get ready for work 6:45-7:30, and then out the door.

Then, morning would come, and I’d sleep through my alarm, or I’d take too long between “wake up” and “work out”, and since the whole schedule was off, I’d entirely give up on the routine for the day. On the rare occasion when I did drag myself out of bed on time, I’d be unhappy, exhausted, and by 3 pm inevitably falling asleep at my desk and once again giving up on it after just a few days.

Which led me to the belief that morning routines simply weren’t for me — I needed to be more organic and spontaneous with my days. And in embracing that, I ended up wasting my whole mornings, scrolling social media for far too long, and then scrambling to catch up and get ready in just a few minutes before work. I’d feel overwhelmed and frazzled to start the day, and the rest of the day would simply follow suit.

“I shifted my focus to finding the rhythm to which my body and mind wanted to move throughout the day.”

I knew I needed to change my approach. I asked myself why I was even attempting to implement a morning routine, and it was all about the “I should” and what I thought would look best to other people. Saying, “I get up at 5 every morning to work out” sounds much more impressive than, “I rolled out of bed, started scrolling Instagram, and then suddenly I was running super late.” But impressive wasn’t really a good enough reason for me. It wasn’t a compelling “why” that inspired me to make a change.

And frankly, I couldn’t come up with a good reason (for me, you might be totally different!) for me to implement a rigid routine in my mornings. It wasn’t in true alignment with my goals, which were focused on my physical health and productivity, yes, but even more so on my mental health and finding peace. So, rather than a routine, I shifted my focus to finding the rhythm to which my body and mind wanted to move throughout the day.

I found that I naturally wake up with the sun. In winter, I wake, fully rested, between 7 and 8. In the summer, it’s between 4 and 5. Spring and fall, of course, are somewhere in-between. So I stopped fighting that, and gave myself permission to be that person and operate in that way.

I found that gentle morning movement like yoga or walking wakes my body up and energizes me for the day, so I stopped forcing myself into high-intensity workouts first thing in the morning. I do those sorts of workouts later in the day, usually just before lunch.

I found that journaling and meditating in the mornings has to be my top priority, because it sets the tone and direction for my day. If I start with gratitude, everything else comes easily.

This is the basic rhythm that I start my day with. Easy wake up, with the sun. Gentle movement. Coffee and journaling.

Not every day looks the same. In winter, my mornings are shorter, so I don’t get to as much before the workday starts. Some days I’m feeling a little more energized, so I fit a morning run in. Some days I have work meetings or other commitments early, and I have to adjust.

That’s the beauty of a rhythm vs. a routine. Rhythms flow, they change, the adapt. They give you structure to move within, but you get to set the melody to fit the day you have.

I’ve reinforced my morning rhythm by adding in rituals, as well. Rituals are almost little ceremonies that you can incorporate into your day. For me, making coffee has become a ritual. I am mindful throughout my process. I move slowly and savor the steps — the aromas, the sounds, the gift at the end of the hot coffee that makes every day a little easier. I approach my skincare the same way. Each step is intentional, has a purpose, has enjoyment to it. And creating rituals out of the mundane helps me stay grounded, focused, grateful, and gives my morning rhythm more meaning.

In fact, my whole life has improved since this shift. I’m not fighting against myself any longer. I’m not punishing myself for not living up to some arbitrary standard. I’m more productive, and I’m more at peace than ever before.

To be clear — this might not be the right morning for you. This is the right morning for me, right now, in this particular stage of my life. Some people love their set-time wake ups. Some people have kids to take into account as they move through their mornings. So, if that’s you, the ideal morning will be a little different for you. That doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t have a peaceful, mindful morning. It doesn’t mean you can’t move in the flow of your personal rhythm. It just means you need to identify what that would look like for you, and set up your mind to support you shifting into a new approach.

That’s where coaching comes in. Together, we can find the right rhythm for you, and set up a day that will truly serve you and your goals. Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation if you are ready to change your life for the better.

All my love,

Charlotte