Seven habits to keep you grounded
How have you spent these first weeks of 2020? Are you excited for the New Year ahead? Are you starting any new goals? Are you getting rid of things that didn't serve you in the past? Are you continuing with some you the great habits that you have already in place?
I spent this past first week of the year with my parents and one of my sisters. So for me, these first weeks of the year have been out of my normal routine. We’ve been out of town, staying in hotels, eating at restaurants, staying up late, I’ve been drinking more alcohol and eating more sweets that I normally do, not going to the gym and not doing yoga …
So, I have not been sticking to my normal routine to say the least.
But, do I punish myself because I have gotten out of my routine? Well, I don't.
I know this has been a temporary and voluntary break. I decided to stop some of my usual habits to share time with my family. I decided to eat some of the sweets to enjoy them with my family. I decided to stay late because they stay late. And they are here for a short time.
So, no, I don't punish myself for not keeping up with my routine.
But, believe me, as soon as they are back in Spain, you can bet I’ll be back on track…you can bet that because I seriously miss my routine!!!
I miss my gym time, my yoga time, my relaxing time, my personal space and I miss my peaceful reading time in the evenings…
What I realized while I have my family with me is that for me to keep myself centered while I’m out of my normal routine, is that there are some of my habits that I MUST keep.
So, today I wanted to share with you the habits that are keeping me grounded.
My number one habit that I keep doing no matter what is MEDITATION. Whether I am with the family, in a hotel, in a vacation or wherever, I noticed this quiet time in the morning, as I wake up, keeps me grounded. It gives me peace and recharges me. And not only I do it in the mornings, but whenever I had a long day, or I need to slow down in the evening, I also meditate for about 15 minutes before going to bed.
The second one I keep doing no matter what, is finishing my SHOWERS with COLD WATER. This simple (but not easy) habit is very powerful, doing that first thing in the morning gives me a boost of energy, not only for the proven benefits of the cold exposure but also because it reminds me that I can push myself to do hard things.
Third, I make sure I am HYDRATED, I keep track of my water and I make sure I drink. This simple habit can give you so much energy!! You’d be surprised of how many times you think you are tired or hungry when in reality you are thirsty!
Fourth, I do INTERMITTENT FASTING at least every other day, and I do this because I know my body needs this time of not eating to recharge and recover. Something I really need when life is out of the norm.
Fifth, even though I went late to bed, I still kept track of my SLEEPING time and ensured I get my minimum of 7 hours of sleep. If you don't know yet how many hours of sleep you need to have, I’d suggest that you start experimenting to know what works for you. I discovered that for me 7 to 7.5 hours is my ideal time, and I make sure I make the time for it. Of course, going to bed and waking up at the same time is ideal to get in the rhythm, but at least I get my time even if it is not as regular as I normally do.
Sixth, I mentioned I ate sweets and drunk some more wine than I usually do during these holidays, but, I still kept every other of my diet restrictions, even when eating out at restaurants and when out of town. A lot of people thinks that I am restricted and that I have a strong will power, but after doing this clean eating for more than five years, I can tell you that feeling good and providing supporting NUTRITION to my body and brain is my priority and I truly don't mind staring at my family eating a pizza or croissants or bread while I don't…
Seventh, even though I didn't go to the gym or yoga, I kept being ACTIVE, I tracked my movement and I was still keeping up with my daily step goals, so I wasn't a total sloth either… I’m sure this is probably the same for you; don't you miss being active if for whatever reason you missed your regular exercising routine?
I know I do, I miss being active if I don't exercise so even if it’s not a full strength training session, a cardio session, or a yoga class, I made sure I moved and went for walks to get the body moving…
So, these seven habits are the ones that are keeping me centered and grounded while my normal life is not so normal.
It’s important to know what is that you need in order to keep you centered even when the circumstances around you are not the usual ones.
There are times when I feel that I am reaching the limits of my patience or that my stress levels are rising up… but because I’m aware of this happening and I know what keeps me grounded, I am able to go back to my base.
That’s why it’s important that you know yourself, that you know your triggers, that you know what stresses you out and what is that keeps you grounded.
And once you know that, it’s important that you take action.
It’s important that you do the things that help you out. That you ensure you have scheduled time during your day for those small things. That you don't wait until you are reaching your limit. That you keep replenishing yourself regularly to stay grounded.
So, do you know what is that triggers you and decreases your energy? Do you know what is that replenish you and calms you down? Do you have any current habits that keep you centered no matter what’s going on around you? Let me know below what is that you do, because I’d love to hear from you!!
xoxo,
Sofia