3 Rituals to Destress

I am not a morning person. I don’t rise with the sun. I like sleeping in. I need coffee.

I also have learned over the years that if I don’t get up early enough for my morning rituals, I pay for it all day. Skip my rituals and I feel stress and anxiety, like I am not getting enough done; I worry about all that I need to do. When I take time for my rituals, I can get clear for my day, know my priorities, and I am more effective with limited time. Now, I set my alarm clock earlier if needed to get these rituals in.

– Meditation. It took me YEARS to get into a regular meditation practice. Some of that was based on preferring a few extra minutes of sleep! I also learned I am so much more grounded if I give myself a few minutes every day. The hack I used to outsmart the side of my brain that doesn’t want to do it? Promise myself it’s only five minutes. In my dream world, I would meditate 30 minutes in the morning. That never happens. I typically do 10 minutes, and sometimes it’s eight. On full days when my wake-up call is already early, it’s five.

– Walk. I do it for my pup Coco, and really, I do it for myself. I check my calendar the evening before so I know how long I have for our walk. During that time, usually 45 minutes, I don’t take my phone out. The walk helps me drop any lingering anxiety that meditation didn’t clear. I look at trees, I talk to Coco, and I breathe. The movement helps set me up priorities for the day. Sometimes I set an intention. More often, I let the walk and movement guide me. Side note: You don’t need a dog for this one! Though they are good motivation. I promise that moving your body first thing will make all the difference in the world.

– Mind Gems. These are a series of 12 energetic re-sets that clear my body and my energy for my day. They are simple, and can be done in two minutes. If you’ve done them before, this is a reminder that they can be a ritual, habit and re-set at any time. Sometimes I meditate, then do Mind Gems. Sometimes, I do them when I sit down to work and before I open my computer. They are an essential part of my daily rituals.

There you go! What are your rituals? Or, what are the things you know would support your day if you turned it into a daily ritual? Chime in below!