What I do when my perfect routine goes out the window
Routine is important, but so is flexibility.
I'm on the go a lot, and end up making a lot of compromises to my ideal routine.
I’ve spent a lot of time crafting a routine that reliably puts me at my best. But I also travel a lot, and that perfect routine frequently becomes impossible.
It’s very common when we’re struggling with anxiety to get stuck in an “all or nothing” mindset. We can get focused on checking all the boxes and getting everything right, and when we trip up, we might feel hopeless and give up entirely.
I lived there for a long time, desperately pursuing perfection because anything less felt like absolute failure. It took me a long time to understand that drive for perfection was a survival mechanism. It had served me well in some clinch situations, but it wasn’t going to help me build a strong foundation within for the long run.
Now, in my work with clients, we focus on identifying baby steps and building tolerance to do things that are less than perfect. Because life is messy. Reality is messy. Feelings are messy. Real progress happens one step at a time and (here’s the secret) we can get through even the craziest times when we just simply focus on keeping an open mind and an open heart.
So here’s my “emergency parachute routine” - the 5 things I cling to when everything else goes out the window.
1.Grounding
I get my bare feet on the earth no matter what else is going on.
When I don't ground, I can spend the whole day fighting a lot of noise and fuzz in my head that could have been solved by ten minutes connected to the earth.
2. Meditation
I practice japa, a form of mantra meditation that involves chanting or praying quietly on beads.
Japa soothes the mind and nourishes the heart, and it's the foundation of everything else I do.
3. Stay hydrated
Your brain is 73% water. Getting dehydrated by 1-2% can result in a 10% cognitive decline and significant memory and attention issues.
Tea, coffee and soda don't count. Drink water!
4. Sleep
Getting proper sleep can be a "chicken and the egg" situation when you have anxiety. Do I have anxiety because I'm not sleeping or am I not sleeping because I have anxiety?
Focus on the practical steps you can take to improve sleep first.
4. Sleep (cont'd)
Eliminate sources of light and noise from your bedroom.
Turn your phone on airplane mode and unplug the WiFi.
Move food and paperwork out of your sleeping space.
Learn exercises to reset your vagus nerve and shift out of fight or flight
4. Sleep (cont'd)
When I'm on the go, I bring ear plugs and an "earthing" sheet that helps me stay grounded at night.
I practice japa to wind down in the evening and I stay off my computer an hour before bed.
5. Practice humility and gratitude
Increasingly, when I feel stretched to my limit, I take it as a prompt to remember that I'm very small and my sphere of control is very limited.
It's not my job to know everything or get everything right. It's my job to keep my heart open and try to be of service to others and to God.
In resilience,
Caitlin