I initially wrote this article and the very next day, my entire routine changed! If motherhood has taught my anything in these first months, it’s to be flexible. Thiys bumps against some of my deepest habits.
I’m a Taurus and I love a predictable routine which gives me a sense of control over my life. What we know for sure, is that nothing is in our control, so learning to shift my routine as my daughter’s needs shift has been a great teacher! So once this change happened, I decided to jump back in and re-write this piece.
First thing in the morning I scoop my daughter out of her crib. She wakes around 6:30am and I tuck her into bed with me and my husband for thirty more minutes of cuddles and snuggles. When she starts to babble, she rolls to her daddy, grabs his nose to say “good morning,” and our day begins.
He turns the water on the stove to boil for me, knowing how much I look forward to my coffee. I wish I could say I still started my day with a big green juice or lemon water but truth be told, in new motherhood, I now begin with a large cup of superfood coffee. I include cinnamon, functional mushrooms, collagen powder and organic honey.
He gets ready for the day and then it’s my turn. I wash my face, apply a face cream and some lightweight tinted sunscreen. Once my daughter is dressed and changed, she and her daddy head out for a walk while I practice yoga and meditate. Three mornings per week I incorporate kettle bell and core exercises for strength, muscle tone and heart health. We allocate an hour for me to practice about five days per week.
When they return, I give her breakfast, spend quality time with her and eventually put her down for a nap. Once she’s asleep I finish up some tasks around the house and eat breakfast.
I focus on eating a whole food diet with a good balance of protein and healthy fats. This often includes a morning smoothie packed with avocado, almond butter, and spinach, hearty oatmeal with hemp seeds or on warmer days a homemade chia pudding with oat milk and Ayurvedic spices.
After breakfast I turn my focus to work, although I would never consider what I do “work” in the traditional sense as I love it so much and feel it is my dharma, not “work.” I start by lighting a candle and writing 3 new things I am grateful for in my Gratitude Journal.
The pandemic led us to move so now I am lucky to live just a few miles from my mother who comes to care for my daughter three days per week so I can work. But on days when I don’t have childcare my husband and I work together to be flexible. This has become one of the biggest practices in surrender I have experienced!
I practice letting go of expectations, what I think I “should” be doing, and accepting each moment as it unfolds. Like many women, in the face of the changes brought on by Coronavirus, my daughter receives my primary attention and work takes second place. My husband and I call it “divide and conquer” so he takes the driver’s seat in our business and I take the lead with our daughter.
I feel incredibly grateful to have the support of my husband and business during this time while also having the opportunity to give my daughter my full attention for the entire first year of her life, which was wildly unexpected and has been one of the gifts of navigating the pandemic.
In the mid afternoon I have lunch which is usually comprised of leftovers from the previous night as I am working consciously to reduce our household food waste!
Once my daughter wakes from her second nap we go on a late afternoon walk as a family. We leave our phones at home focusing on being together. We usually walk 2.5 miles. Our neighborhood is filled with hills so they provide time in nature and the benefit of enjoying one of the most effective forms of exercise on the planet – walking.
Research shows that people who live in the Blue Zones, the areas of the world where people live the longest, don’t “workout” but walk up the hills of their land as part of their daily routine which adds to their longevity. I get the added benefit of having my daughter in a baby carrier which adds a solid 15+ pounds and growing to my walk!
I prepare dinner for our family, sometimes alone or sometimes with my daughter. I chop vegetables and aim to include as many veggies as possible. We receive an organic farm box from local farmers each week so I include those items. I talk to our daughter throughout the process so from an early age she learns about healthy foods and also how we save food scraps for composting!
I pair our dinner veggies with a gluten free grain such a quinoa or a protein packed legume such as lentils. I top these yummy bowls with hummus, pumpkin seeds, and maybe some sauerkraut for good gut health.
Before we eat, we feed our daughter her dinner and then move through her bedtime routine as a family. I’ve taken a bath with my daughter every evening of her life and it is one of the most special moments we share all day. My husband puts her to sleep and I put the final touches on our dinner.
Then for the next 90 minutes we get valuable time to rest, relax and connect just the two of us, sometimes enjoying a documentary or funny movie. Before bed I brush and floss my teeth, tone my skin, apply serum for extra hydration, face oil and body lotion.
I jump into bed at 8:30pm every night and take 30 minutes to read before bed. Phones are left aside so there is always at least 30 minutes of screen-free time before sleep. Even though my daughter is still young I feel incredibly lucky to be clocking at least 8 hours of sleep, sometimes more, because as we all know sleep is a core aspect to our health!
When the morning rolls around, we start it all again! I would like to believe that every aspect of my day, even the most mundane tasks, are part of how I approach my overall health.
Everything is connected and even something as simple as a walk is connected to the entire scope of our lives. I like to remember that in the end life is made up of small moments so as I reflect on my days, I aim to see how each small moment helps to serve my highest health and wellness.
Below are some recommended practices to incorporate into your holistic daily routine
https://asdijo12.wpengine.com/programs/practices-for-deep-sleep/
https://asdijo12.wpengine.com/programs/start-your-day/
https://asdijo12.wpengine.com/programs/mom-on-the-go/
https://asdijo12.wpengine.com/programs/rise-thrive/