5 Steps to Intentional Daily Rhythms
Do totally structured routines make you feel claustrophobic, too? Anytime someone “swears a specific morning routine” will change your life, I want to go running in the other direction. Or roll my eyes at the very least.
Sure, these strict schedules or done for you plans may work for a while, but eventually, if you’re like most people, you’re going to hit a rut.
Why? Glad you asked.
It actually has nothing to do with “not being disciplined” enough! Structured routines don’t work for many of us because:
Strict schedules over time limits our freedom and makes us feel stuck. When our brains get bored or the task becomes mundane, we forget the purpose (our “why”) behind what we set out to do, we lose interest, and typically quit all together.
Life isn’t one size fits all. So it’s ridiculous to think my morning routine would be the same or work the same as a woman with 3 kids, 2 goldfish, and 45 minute commute.
Our lives and needs and surroundings change. A lot. Similar to the example above, it’s silly to think how I go about my days now will be the same even in a few months.
So then, what’s a girl to do?
How do we ensure that we’re taking care of ourselves and making progress towards who we’re becoming daily?
Simple, get in rhythm.
At Cultivate Life Coaching, we rebel against the mediocrity of life by creating intentional habits and rhythms that feel like a true, familiar current pulling us towards our authentic self.
By cultivating rhythms, we count on each & every day looking slightly different and depend on our goals staying relatively unchanged.
Intentional rhythms, while flexible, are focused and purposed. This is done by constant self check-ins and intuitively listening to what you need. Additionally, creating intentional rhythms is done with your real goals and desires in mind to use a tailored motivation. It actually expands your view and helps you live into you role in the larger picture. And it’s really not that hard, it’s all about asking the right questions and creating a healthy rhythm for yourself throughout the week.
How does one get started?
1. Get clear about your values and desires.
Gaining clarity on what you want your legacy to be sets the direction for all the rest of your days. Discerning what our values are and who we are becoming are two of the most important steps to living an intentional life and I could talk for days about this. But that’s not what this blog is about. (If you’re new and are looking for where to start: download this incredible Guide & Workbook I’ve created with just you in mind! Plus, you’ll be subscribed to receive more free resources to help you on your journey.)
If you’ve already completed the Guide & Workbook, let’s set up a complimentary, 45 minute Discovery Call to get very clear on your purpose and values. Fill out the questionnaire below to qualify.
2. Be honest with yourself about where you’re spending your time.
It is unnecessarily hard to create new, healthy, purposed habits if you are'n’t aware of the habits you already have! Because we’re habitual creatures, often we don’t even realize we’re pretty set in the pattern of our days. Don’t believe me? Start keeping track of what you do for an entire week.
Why do you always sit in the same seat? Even if you don’t have a morning routine, how often do you wake up, brush your teeth, eat breakfast in the same pattern each day? We all have triggers that lead to an action whether we’re aware of it or not. So let’s become aware!
If we can’t be honest with ourselves on how many times we get swept away scrolling through social media or how many hours we spend rewatching Gilmore Girls, we can’t adequately use our time and accomplish our goals. So here’s a template to get started.
Sound overwhelming? That’s okay, I made another totally free resource just for you! Download it here.
3. Practice mindfulness.
Once you're clear on where you want to go and how your time is spent, you can start being more present within your day. It’s time to get in touch with yourself—body, mind, and soul.
This could be through tracking your feelings, practicing core breathing techniques, doing an examen, centering yourself with a daily prayer, or self reflective journaling. Through stillness, solitude, or silence we are better able to connect with ourselves and listen to our intuition.
Taking the rhythm analogy to a whole new level, practicing mindfulness is like getting in tune with the very specific to you melody that courses through your body and noticing the shifts in needs, emotions, and patterns.
4. Commit to one of two new rhythms.
Brainstorm new habits you want to cultivate and pick only a few that get you the most hyped.
These habits should be the beginning steps of a goal you have for yourself, and they should be attainable! We know that bite size daily habits actually propels us forward and sustains our motivation for longer than “going big.”
The other trick is to pick a specific time frame do do said rhythm within. It can be “before lunch each day” or “by the end of each week” or “on Thursday evenings.” Whatever works for you & can be flexible within your day to day.
5. Ask a ton of questions throughout your day.
There are a ton of ways to stop your train of thought & regroup throughout the day. An easy rule of thumb is before you start a new task, ask yourself the following questions:
What needs to be done next?
What are my intentions for doing it?
What do I need to complete this task?
How am I feeling?
Is there anything I need to leave behind from the day and process through later?
So, here’s a quick look at my Daily and Weekly Rhythms.
Of course, this list should only be a spring board for you to brainstorm what possibilities you have for yourself. If you haven’t picked up on it yet, our rhythms should always be individualized.
Daily Rhythms:
It’s my intention to do each of these things every single day. Of course the time and way I accomplish them varies depending on that day’s needs. Each of these rhythms, or habits, is intentionally, yet softly, pushing me towards a goal I created for myself.
Go for a walk around neighborhood
Making time for joyful movement (playing with pups, dancing in the kitchen, etc)
20 Minute Tidy in Morning
Spiritual Practice (could be meditation, reading a daily prayer, the examen, reading scripture, etc)
Tea Time at 4pm
Make Bed
Read for 1 hour before bed
Weekly Rhythms:
My weekly rhythms are divided among the week days depending on what suits my lifestyle best. For instance, baking bread is a slow process, so I like doing it Sunday and Monday to help ease me into the week. Or, by Wednesday I’m tired of coming up with creative lunches, so it’s the perfect day to escape in the middle of work and connect with my husband. Similar to daily rhythms, each of these habits, is intentionally derived from one of my goals, yet only needs attention about once a week. I also use them to pace myself throughout the week, their placement helps steady me.
Sunday- Feed sourdough starter, Pizza Sunday, church
Monday- Bake sourdough, grocery shop
Tuesday- Write notes of encouragement to friends & clients, Dog Church (aka Wine on porch with friends)
Wednesday- Lunch date with husband
Thursday- Water plants, Sign Language Class
Friday- Spend as much time outdoors as possible
Saturday- Rest and relish in the world’s beauty
