Does Your Routine Support You?
Or is it just making your to-do list longer?
As humans in a hyper-productive focused world, it is easy to get sucked into the non-stop go-go-go, the endless cycle of doing.
Yet, taking a moment to pause and watch what nature is doing around us has many lessons for us within it. The transition to Autumn is marked by balance, letting go and abundance.
On the equinox, the days were the same length as the nights. There is a sense of harmony in the lightness and the darkness. Rather than between 'good' and 'bad', I have been contemplating it as the sweet spot between summer's spontaneity and open nature with the grounded routines of winter.
Which Season is Your Favourite?
I am finding it interesting to note, within myself, that as someone who has always professed summer to be my absolute favourite season, primarily for the idyllic moments spent basking in the sun or floating in the sea, giggling with loved ones. The allure of these spacious moments, almost entirely freed from a sense of time, has often been the motivation, the feeling I connect to, to get through the darkness of winter.
Yet this year, the transition to Autumn has come for me like a comfort blanket, a cozy hug or a much-loved wool sweater. Perhaps after a few summers marred by the challenges of a global pandemic, I felt overwhelmed by the open-endedness of summer. Time will tell. What I can say for sure, is that the shift back toward routine has me feeling buoyed, supported and maybe even excited.
What do I mean by ‘Routine’?
It also has me considering the nature of routine, how for some, routine can feel like restraints, and for others, a lifeboat.
For me, routine is the practices we put in place, the gifts we give ourselves, to support us in living our lives in a way that is sustaining, that promotes joy and care.
This is a fairly fluid definition, but it is intentionally so.
One of the challenges I witness in some of those who deeply crave routine, but for whom it feels illusive, is the rigidity within which it is taught.
I have said it before and I am confident I will say it many more times; there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
If waking up at 5 a.m. feels great for you, I am delighted for you, but please, please, please do not tell me or anyone else why it is necessary for happiness or success. The same goes for sleeping in, journalling, walks or yoga in the morning. None of these are the 'right' thing to do, none of them are the 'magic formula'.
Why? Because we are all different.
What Can You Do Now?
Routines can shift and change, just like we do.
And while it might initially feel counter-intuitive, to shift and change, I will always encourage you to come back to what YOU need.
Learning how to do this, how to really listen to your needs, to trust what comes up, and to have the courage to act on what you hear is a skill set that will serve you for a lifetime.
When we transition from doing what we think we 'should' to what we 'need' our routines also shift from things we need to check off the list to practices that make the list feel more spacious. Our routines become like big beautiful sighs of relief.
The best place to start is by checking in with yourself, it sounds simple (and it is!) but it takes intention and practice!
So I lovingly encourage you to ask yourself, today and well whenever you need to these two questions:
What do I need right now?
How can I lovingly support myself to make that happen?
If creating a supportive routine is something you would like support in establishing for yourself, connecting to your needs and cultivating the courage to prioritize them is at the core of what we work on in HOMECOMING my 6-week group coaching program.
There is only 1-space remaining!
Doors Close this Saturday, October 7th — it would be a joy to have you join us!
You can learn more about HOMECOMING here!
As always, happy to answer any questions or hear your feedback, it is a joy to do this work, thank you for being part of this community xx
With love and gratitude,
Stephanie
