Be With Now

Do you live in the present? Do you have a self-care routine? Life is fast-paced, and people are under such pressure to do it all. How do you carve out time to be in the moment, and not succumb to the worries of daily life?

I am fortunate now to be able to organize my life and work according to my own schedule, but for many years I jumped to the sound of the alarm clock, dressed, gathered my coffee/lunch/bag, and zoomed out the door to make it to my teaching job by 7:20. The day was a rush of schedules, deadlines, meetings, and being supportive of my middle school students. I was stressed and exhausted.

I started by taking some time for myself – I wanted 10 minutes in the morning to have one cup of coffee before I left for school. It meant I had to get up earlier, which was a challenge at first, but those 10 minutes of watching the sun rise, and sipping my coffee gave me such peace. That made a huge difference in helping me to get centered, think about my day, and calm my thoughts before I left for school. Choices became more deliberate. Over time, I added 5 minutes of breathing and meditation which increased my focus and well-being. During the last two years of my teaching career, my morning routine had expanded to 30 minutes; I dedicated those additional 15 minutes to writing in a journal, which is a treasured activity for me.

Committing to a 30 minute morning routine changed other routines as well: I started going to bed earlier, and making sure everything was organized the night before. I started making better lunches for myself while I was cleaning up after dinner. My sense of well-being increased dramatically. Finding time to be alone, to wake up slowly and thoughtfully, and to reflect on my day helps my introverted self stay in balance.

How can you carve out a few minutes each day to support yourself? Your self-care may include 15 minutes of exercise, a long shower before anyone else is awake, or writing a quick list to help yourself stay organized. Even if you can only find enough time for one deliberate breath in, and one deliberate breath out, starting a self-care morning routine can make such a difference in your day.