Spring + Morning Routines + Journal Prompts
hi, i'm Erica. "be easy with E" is a free weekly newsletter. thanks for reading! š
Hey everyone! Spring is approaching and I feel relieved. Winter gets me in a funk. I hate the cold and nobody wants to go outside. Since I knew Iād be spending more time indoors, I made a list of ā1st quarter of the year goalsā to keep me busy. Itās been almost 90 days and Iāve accomplished two. Instead of ruminating about it and losing my momentum, Iām choosing to practice self-compassion and remain encouraged.
To have a good day and be in good spirits, I have to be intentional. A good day consists of rest, balance, and accomplishing a task that makes me feel less overwhelmed. I wasnāt too intentional with the way I started my days this winter and I think thatās why I didnāt get much done. Iāve never been into routines, but here are a few things I do in the morning that help me start the day at peace and feel energized:
No scrolling. I can lay in bed for hours scrolling through Instagram, reading posts on Am I the Asshole Reddit, or watching YouTube videos. Itās fun, but once I finish, I feel dysregulated. I have so many thoughts and itās hard to pick a focus point. Limiting my screen time until Iāve gotten out of bed helps me start the day earlier and feel relaxed.
Clean. Washing dishes and tidying my living room gets me up and moving. It feels good and thereās an instant reward. Even if I havenāt crossed everything off my āto-doā list, I can look around and feel at ease. Ā
Dance. You can never go wrong starting the day with Soca, Afrobeats or Earth, Wind, and Fire. After dancing for 20 minutes, I feel great.Ā It makes up for the lack of exercise (I need to do better with that š ).
Listen to a sound bath playlist. Evelyn from the Internets mentioned Sound bath playlists in a video and Iāve been hooked ever since; I even bought a singing bowl. āA sound bath is a meditative experience where those in attendance are ābathedā in sound waves. These waves are produced by various sources, including healing instruments such as gongs, singing bowls, percussion, chimes, rattles, tuning forks, and even the human voice itselfā*. As someone who struggles with rumination, the playlists help me focus on my breathing, redirect my thoughts and recenter myself.
Drink a cup of tea. Every morning, my mother walks to the kitchen and makes a cup of tea to start the day. As a child, I thought it was a weird choice when apple juice was in the fridge, but Iāve adopted the same routine over the past few years. My favorite flavors are mint, green, black and chamomile.
Reflect on my āto-be happyā list. I love a good list, but sometimes looking at my āto-doā list makes me anxious. When that happens, I look at my āto-be-happyā list and remind myself to prioritize the things on that list too.
Listen to a Podcast. Whenever Iām acting a fool or contemplating engaging in self-sabotaging behaviors, I listen to the Baggage Reclaim Sessions with Natalie Lue. She shares āpractices for living and loving with a healthy self-esteem.ā Sheās my fav.
If youāve been looking for things to add to your morning routine, try one of these out, and let me know how it goes!
Journal Prompts for the Week
I wanted to share a few journal prompts with you all. The themes for this month are new beginnings, self-compassion, and purpose.
How do you practice patience and self-compassion when learning something new?
Why do you think youāve been given your talents/gifts?
How could being more open to change and flow transform your life?
Where in your life are you finding it challenging to align your thoughts and actions?
What habits have you put into practice to help keep you grounded? How could you do those more often?
My Current Read
Since January, Iāve been reading The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think Youāre Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown. I typically try to read books in a week, but Iāve been taking my time with this one. Itās giving me a lot to think about. Itās also affirmed a few of my thoughts and helped me feel like Iām headed in the right direction as I continue to build a deeper relationship with myself. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
āAs we think about the definition of connection and how easy it is to mistake technology for connecting, we also need to consider letting go of the myth of self-sufficiency. One of the greatest barriers to connection is the cultural importance of āgoing it alone.ā ā¦ Many of us are willing to extend a helping hand, but weāre very reluctant to reach out for help when we need it ourselves. Itās as if weāve divided the world into āthose who offer helpā and āthose who need help.ā The truth is we are both.ā
āOur stories are not for everyone. Hearing them is a privilege, and we should always ask ourselves this before we share: āWho has earned the right to hear my story?ā
āItās so much easier to say, āIāll be whoever or whatever you need me to be, as long as I feel like Iām part of this.ā From gangs to gossiping, weāll do what it takes to fit in if we believe it will meet our need for belonging. But it doesnāt. We can only belong when we offer our most authentic selves and when were embraced for who we are.ā
āPerfection is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment and shame. Itās a shield."
āJoy is as thorny and sharp as any of the dark emotions. To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesnāt come with guaranteesāthese are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain. When we lose our tolerance for discomfort, we lose joy.ā
Thanks for reading! ā¤ļø
-E