This week I want you to focus on incorporating practices that are important to you that fit into your existing schedule.
This is another piece of advice I am giving myself. If you have been around for a bit, then you know that I have been trying to incorporate yoga as a spiritual practice into my daily life. And its not working. I just can’t find time for it, and I can’t seem to make the time either. So I have no idea what I’m going to do. Do you have any advice for me?
Robin Drury @theyoginisdiary on insta, originally said to me that she finds the time even in the moments of chaos with little kiddos climbing all over her. And I have no idea how she does it! I don’t have any children, but I can’t seem to make the time through all of the work hustling I’m doing these days. I hate to glorify being busy. But I’m busy and it SUCKS! The busyness of my life is sucking all of the air out of my Spiritual Practice.
So now that I’m done whining about it… Let me share with you the “normal” practices that are ALREADY built into my existing schedule. Maybe we can find a moment for some practices my soul is aching for.
My Current Daily Routine:
- wake up to kitty snuggles
- take my BBT & meds
- make coffee & watch YoutTube videos (normally news related)
- get myself together, shower, dress.
- start working
- break for an hour lunch
- more work, meetings, & appointments.
- stop working between 4:30 and 6:30
- have dinner
- watch some tv
- wind down
- head to bed
I know that I could cut out YouTube watching, but that is seriously the only thing that will get me out of bed in the morning that I look forward to. uninterrupted morning videos before my husband gets up and starts asking me a million questions, like, how did you sleep? Ha Ha Ha! Yeah… I think I am just a person that needs silence in the morning before I start working or interacting with people. But I seriously think I spend way too much time watching videos in the morning.
So, what practices could I do that already fit into my schedule?
Connecting With Nature
Greet the day by opening the curtains as soon as I wake up and at least poking my head outside. We had our first snow that is sticking here in Michigan, so I’m not about to go sip my coffee on my snow covered balcony. Poking my head out the door for fresh air will have to do.
Affirming My Intentions
Bless my day MYSELF with my coffee.Why should we wait for others to bless us? I have heard the quote many times that you should plant your own flowers instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. The same goes for the positivity and magical feeling of blessings. Why not set that positive intention for the day or your life by blessing yourself? This was a daily practice of mine that has disappeared from my morning, and I have no idea why. Life just got busy I guess, so I’m going to make myself a little sticky note to remind myself…“May my day be filled with peace, love, and awesomeness.”
Connecting With My Spirit & Goals
Lighting a candle and reviewing your goals or intentions is a really powerful practice. This is another morning practice of mine that just up and dis-a-ppeared! I have no idea when I stopped, I just realized a few days ago that I had. Every month I set my intention & goals for the month along side the moon phases. Read more about how I set goals via the moon here and head over here to see my most recent goal setting session plan with me.
This can be a full on spiritual practice like mine, or be as simple as a sticky note on or under a candle with your goal or intention. Every time you light the candle review your intentions. I like to do this in the morning while I’m waiting for my coffee to brew or tea to steep. Lighting the candle sets the mood for the morning and also sets the tone for the day when you pair it with reviewing your goals as soon as you wake up.
Fostering a Spiritual Yoga Practice
Make Coffee For Later… AKA The Coffee Bribe***I could*** try bribing myself with coffee when its comes to my Spiritual Yoga Practice Goal that I just keep falling short on….. That is what I’m currently doing with getting myself out from under the covers and away from kitty snuggles. I’ve bribed myself with a solid undisturbed hefty block of watching my favorite YouTubers before the rest of the world wakes up. And I have to admit, I love that time, I relish that time, I PROTECT THAT TIME.
So instead of changing my current bare bones morning routine, we are going to build in a bribe into my existing schedule. Wake Up > Greet the Day w/ An Open Door > Make Coffee > Light Intention Candle & Review Goals / Intentions While Coffee is Brewing > Bless Coffee & Myself & My Day >
PUT COFFEE IN THERMOS & CAP TIGHTLY so those blessings don’t fall out & so I’m not cranky from cold coffee when I can finally have it. This also means that I have to put away my favorite coffee cup for the time being until I get this habit solidified and built back into my routine.
I’m going to then roll out the yoga mat and put the coffee right beside me…. so I can have it immediately… I mean, so I can remind myself what I’m working for while I build in the habit of morning yoga. After I’ve done my yoga flow I’ll sit there, STILL ON THE MAT, with my thermos and reflect on the yoga session, my day ahead, or meditate.
I should be able to accomplish all of those practices in the first half hour of waking up. Then I’ll be bribing myself again with YouTube Videos until its time to get myself put together for work.
BONUS
I don’t want to overload myself, but I just might add in a bonus practice to my already existing schedule through journaling for my mental health either in the morning after yoga or as a part of my nightly wind down…
We’ll see…
things to remember…
- Look at what you already do and find the magical moments of opportunity in the everyday, like making tea.
- Bribes work… just look at kids and pets!
- Don’t overload yourself right out of the gate.
Incorporating practices that fit into your existing schedule is hard, but you have a choice and have taken the first step by clicking on this Weekly Spirituality Tip.
By developing the practice of incorporating mini moments for my own practices that are important to me and that fit into my existing schedule in the past, I have found that I feel more fulfilled. For me, it felt like I was filling my own buckets first before I started trying to fill others. This feeling of fulfillment keeps my anxiety away. Hopefully I can find that place again, and soon. By stopping the unintentionally automatic practice of not making time for the practices that are important to me, and practicing this I feel more in control of my life, my thoughts, and my anxiety and depression.
