From Busy to Balanced

The Importance of Daily Rituals

Have you noticed how much the way you begin your day affects the rest of your day? Your morning sets the tone of the day, so it’s vital that you have an intentional beginning. What ideas do you have for starting your day off mindfully?

Some ideas include: having a cup of herbal tea while journaling; gentle yoga, stretching, or other movement practice like chi gong, tai chi, or even simply free-form movement to music; breathwork (a few rounds of the Breath of Joy are guaranteed to energize you!); Morning Pages (a brain dump of all your thoughts on three pages of paper); a short walk outside; time spent in prayer or meditation.

Many clients come to me feeling overwhelmed. They are exhausted and burned out, or nearing burnout. What’s the antidote? I don’t claim to have the answer, but finding the delicate balance between structure and flow often helps. What does your ideal day look like? What’s one small change you can make, starting this week, to bring your life closer to this ideal day?

How Clutter Impacts Your Health

If you've ever looked around your home and immediately felt your stress levels increase, then I don't need to tell you that clutter and disorganization cause real physiological changes. Cortisol increases, our ability to focus and concentrate decreases (which can further exacerbate the problem! 😩), and we experience more physical pain.

"According to a Cornell University study from 2016, stress triggered by clutter may also trigger coping and avoidance strategies, like eating junk food, oversleeping or binge-watching Netflix." Yikes.

Ready for some good news?

Decluttering can have an immediate, positive impact! Now is a great time to look around and find simple ways to create space in your home.

Want to start a yoga practice? Create a dedicated space for it, then leave your yoga mat and other props out so it's easy to land on your mat. Making the space enticing can really help, and getting on you mat is at least half the battle. Also, one client sleeps in her yoga clothes so there's one less roadblock to her morning yoga session. Whatever works!

The same is true for a meditation practice (which is one of the two things I highly recommend to all my clients. The other? A gratitude practice. ) Create a sacred space for meditation, and fill it with meaningful objects like framed photos of your ancestors, crystals, a candle or sage, and perhaps a journal with your favorite pen so you can write down any insights that may arise.

This isn't just about clearing out clutter - it's about creating space for the things that truly matter to us.

Think about your goals or habits, and then create an environment that supports you.

What's one habit you'd like to form in this new year? What area of your home can support this?