Ritual: The Balance of Our Life
Today I was talking to a friend of mine and we were talking about rituals & consistency as the key to making long-term strides in the right direction. We talked about how to be intentional with our energy to carry us throughout the day, week, month, year. We talked about consistency and how it can also help you practice setting up healthy boundaries. I am not always great at setting boundaries because I like to help others, be accommodating, and make others happy. But I have to admit that I have learned to get better about it over the years. It’s been helpful to speak up for myself because my energy is as precious as everyone else’s and is in limited supply.
So how do we set boundaries?!
I have recently started time blocking my week out, from my time at the #heathyBEing office, my side hustles, time with my family, as well as time for self-care, gratitude, reflection, and growth. As I was looking at the sheet of paper in front of me, I realized that after a long day at the office, the only thing I earnestly have energy for is spending time with my family, dinner, bathtime, bedtime, and relaxation. So instead of “phoning it in” & begrudgingly going through what I “should” do, I’m going to intentionally spend a little extra time with my husband or do a small task that bring me joy or add a little extra time to my self-care for the week. Can you even imagine that?! Sometimes, most of the time, that means that I have a few extra minutes to do my nighttime skin routine of Cleansing Balm, Rosewater Mist, and Facial Oil without rushing through it.
“I learned a few years ago that balance is the key to a happy and successful life, and a huge part of achieving that balance is to instill rituals into your everyday life - a nutritious balanced diet, daily exercise, time for yourself through meditation, reading, journaling, yoga, daily reflection, and setting goals.”
The thing is that if I focus my energy in the right direction with proper intention, I will be re-energized to do things I need to do more joyfully, without mindlessly wasting time as I am unfocused and looking for distractions (hello, Facebook & Instagram!). I will direct my energy & efforts purposefully & accomplish so much more. And on those evening when I just take a deep breath and rest and recover, everyone is still OK. Promise!
So next time you find yourself spacing out, unfocused, and easily distracted, pause, take a second to evaluate where & how your energy is moving and figure out if you need a shot of espresso, or walk away from the task you just aren’t going to finish today. Recharge & reset and start again later with a fresh perspective! Balance, ya know?! 🙌🏼
