Addicted to my new routine and some tips for starting your own.

A couple of weeks ago, I asked my girls and my niece if they wanted to go for a Jeep ride. It was the last really warm evening and they unanimously said yes. After driving around for a while enjoying the sunshine and the warm air blowing our hair all over the place, I decided to take them to one of my favorite places. There is this old wooden dock on a nearby lake. When you park, it's a little walk down the grassy hill and through some trees to find it. The dock is a little shaky and usually makes me wonder what's living underneath it, but I've done some of my best thinking and writing since I found this little slice of Heaven.

Makenna and Grace lasted about 10 seconds and decided to go back up the hill to play on the swings while Faith and I sat for a long time in silence looking at the water. She gets it.

I always feel most like myself when I'm by the water. I stop thinking about what other people think about me. I stop worrying about whether I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm not too much, too loud, too heavy, too obsessive, too annoying, too emotional, too much of a know-it-all... I think I just feel most like myself in these moments.

And because of this clarity and feeling most like myself, one decision I made while sitting on the dock that evening was to start a new routine. I spent the better part of this year depressed and anxious (like many people) and found myself absorbed in a lot of negative coping mechanisms. I wanted to feel better and wanted to feel like I was my best self again, not just for me but for people around me.

So, September 1st, I started getting up between 5:30 and 6:30 (depending on what I have scheduled for the day). I do a devotional, write in my journal, drink water and go for a run. While I'm running, I listen to a personal development podcast. In the evenings, I might do another workout or I'll go for a walk. I cook dinner. I relax and just spend time with myself or people I love. Sometimes I find water to look at. It's been a game changer.

Routines are necessary for me. I have an extremely addictive personality that does, at times, result in months of unhealthy addictions and self-sabotage (negative routines, if you will), so getting my life right usually comes by developing an addiction for healthy things for my mind and my body.

If you find yourself feeling out of sorts or really just wanting to make a change, here are some things I suggest:

Take time to reflect. For me, water is healing. For you, it could just be a quiet spot in your house or your backyard. Unplug and spend time just with your thoughts. No distractions. I think sometimes we keep ourselves busy so that we don't have to actually deal with what we are thinking and feeling.

Once you've done some reflecting, identify your priorities. Do you want to strengthen a relationship? Improve your physical health? Or just have some quiet time to yourself?

Identify the best time of day to focus on your priorities. Full disclosure - I've hated mornings my whole life. I remember my dad flipping my bedroom light on at noon when I was in high school so I would get up. However, I'm learning that I do some of my best work in the early morning hours and truly, I don't mind getting up early as long as I go to bed at a decent time.

Make things important to you a priority. Schedule it in your planner or make reminders on your phone and don't cancel. If you need help with accountability, find a buddy to join you so you can support each other.

Anchor a new habit with an old one. For example, I know I'm going to brush my teeth as soon as I wake up. When I was getting used to starting my day with water, I would have a water bottle sitting next to my toothbrush so that it would trigger me to drink water first thing. Right now, I'm trying to get in the habit of taking my vitamins. Since 25 ounces of water first thing in the morning is now a habit for me, I anchor taking my vitamins with that water by sitting them out on the counter where I'll see them immediately. Make sense?

I found this quote by Naval Ravikant over the weekend. It says, "Too much sugar leads to a heavy body, and too many distractions lead to a heavy mind." Man, it's true. Stop distracting yourself. Work on thinking and feeling. And if needed, healing. Get into a routine that works for you by starting small and slowly add things to it. Make yourself a priority and watch how things start to change around you.

xo, jg