When I Stop Writing

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When I Stop Writing

Why morning routines keep my head on straight.

· Personal Growth

I spend time writing every morning along with some meditation and giving myself headspace to prepare for my day. Lately, however, I’ve had a lot going on and have a different routine than usual. I was traveling in the US for a couple of weeks and have recently started working on a new project. Rather than recognizing how much I benefit from maintaining my routine, regardless of what’s going on in my life, I’ve started dropping the ball in the habits that make me successful in the first place. In short, my day-to-day routine has changed and I have not held my own routine as sacred.

Here’s what I’ve learned from this space.

When I’m not meditating daily, I have very little patience and become frustrated more easily. Meditation gives me the space I need to come down from all the noise around me and to just BE. There are no expectations, there’s no busyness. There is just stillness and freedom from thinking.

I also recognize that because my mind and body have gotten used to the meditation routine I am CRAVING it. Every day I am seeking that space that I desperately need but am not affording myself.

When I stop journaling I no longer have a place to synthesize my thoughts. I am not interpreting my interactions or things that happened throughout the day. I am reflecting less. I am also innovating less because my mind is not free from my day-to-day stresses and I am carrying them with me. Therefore my most creative brain is not available for taking on new challenges.

Lastly, when I am not giving myself space to do NOTHING - even just for 15 minutes - I feel overwhelmed and stressed. I feel like I “need a break” even if I enjoy the work that I’m doing. I find myself overstimulated and unable to shut my brain off when it comes time to go to bed.

In short, meditation frees my mind to create space for breathing and creativity and helps me maintain emotional balance throughout the day. Journaling helps me reflect on what works well and what does not in my life. It helps me interpret my moods and emotions and frees my mind for creative problem solving. Down time relieves my mind from being overstimulated and reduces anxiety and feelings of overwhelm.

What routines do you hold sacred and why? What happens when you stop doing them?

Amanda is a Leadership Coach on a mission to humanize the workplace. She empowers people clarify their vision and unlock their potential to make transformational changes.

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