Routine/Ritual: Change it up!

Musing…

Now this may seem contradictory to change up your routine.  Even in a routine, variation brings a freshness, a new perspective that can add richness and vitality. Brain health specialists strongly recommend choosing multiple changes in your routine so that you continue to create new pathways in the brain in order to ward off atrophy and dementia…use your non-dominant hand, go about your tasks in a different order, hum a tune when you feel like sighing, etc. While being committed to a practice, whether it be creative expression, exercise or spiritual deepening, taking a new turn or trying something different could invite you to a whole new ride, which you may decide to integrate into your “routine”. 

Kate’s Turn:

I have LOTS of change in my routine, as I just moved last month. While much of my previous routine of creative expression has been let go of, I still have been able to maintain my exercise and spiritual practices throughout this transition.  And the richness of new walking paths in the woods, the artistic bounty I see at the farmer’s markets, and the Indian summer colors in nature all are like mulch, adding new life to my creative garden. My creative expression is now in culinary or decorating pursuits, as I never stop being creative – it’s my nature!  I trust all the new pathways in my brain will bring vitality as I embrace this life change.

Get Fired Up:

What routines would you like to enliven?  What would be a new way to do the same routine?

Have fun introducing some “change” in your patterns!!

Routine/Ritual: Self-Care

Musing…

My friend Charmaine, brilliant founder of SynergyDance, called me on my birthday to ask how I was planning to spend the day. I said I had left the day open to see what I felt like doing, let whim dictate, no plans until dinner with family. She said, “You’re having a moon day”.  A “moon day” from her perspective is a day to tend to yourself, your feminine energy.

Charise’s turn:

I assumed that my “moon day” would be a passive sort of experience, something like leisure time. What a misconception! It's more like putting yourself in a director's seat, making choices and seeing what plays out. As I quietly attuned to my internal world, feelings stirred by conversations with faraway friends and family came to the surface. I decided to hang out with these feelings, like having a mad tea party with myself. All manner of distinct characters showed up to ask for a cup to pour whatever they had brought to the table to share. A welcome hostess I was, until the revelry of clinking cups and sloshing contents became more draining than entertaining. Best let the party fizzle out, erase my urges to get stuff done and follow more inner cues such as improvising to music, soaking in a bath, journaling, and continue to erase my urges to get stuff done. Erase ____________ get stuff done. Erase __________________________.

Get Fired Up:

Set external demands aside for some portion of time in order to tend to you.

_____________demand____________________________time__________to tend to you.