I’m a creature of habit. So, even the slightest change in routine can have lingering effects on my mood. Just this past week, I had a meltdown from starting to feel exhausted and depleted. I know this about myself. When I go too hard, for too long – without taking proper care of myself – things tend to go sideways. My schedule has suddenly picked up – plus!, I’m working on a lot of exciting projects for the holidays – plus!.. BUT, I haven’t been getting enough water.. skipping daily exercise, eating enough nourishing foods, getting enough sleep.. and the truth is that, it throws off my game. I’m not as sharp. I’m more irritable and less clear for quick decision making, which is ultimately what my job is made of.
I think feeling off this past week was also due to left over feelings from daylight savings and the current election. Even though I am Canadian, it’s still been stressful to hear about and does affect us, as neighbours to the North.
SO, in situations where this happens and I start to feel worn down, I take inventory of what my needs are and set ahead a plan.. a winter wellness strategy, if you will. My straight forward plan below!
WINTER WELLNESS STRATEGY
After 30+ years, I’ve come to learn that wellness is a practice and something I need to tweak + adjust accordingly. I need to feel good in order to genuinely do my job and show up for the people I love, so it’s important that I continue to implement good habits into my daily routines.
Here’s a look into my personal wellness ..
Wake up routine: no matter what, I make my bed first thing + let the light in the room. That in itself feels so satisfying. I like to start the morning in my plush robe and usually need a min and a strong coffee before I feel half human. After coffee, I’m usually ready to start the day and get changed into something a little more put together – but not far from a cute sweat set.
Skincare routine: the weather here is getting colder, so I’ve been adjusting my skincare products, as needed. I’ve been loading up on extra hydration and using my gua sha tool religiously – I swear it makes my skin feel amazing + look plump and healthy. I’ve also been using my No. 12 Bronzing Face Drops for a subtle glow, on clean skin. There haven’t been a ton of reasons to wear makeup lately, so this has been the perfect way to keep things light and fresh.
Health + nutrition: I’m the kind of person who could go all day without stopping to eat, if I’m focused on whatever I’m working on. It’s not that I mean to do it, it just happens when I get into the zone or on busier-than-usual days in the office. It’s easy to let my nutrition slide during these times, but I start to feel really shitty, really quick which usually leads to burnout.
Another reason I write out our menu plans for the week, is so that we have a plan for every day and less room for take-out or being lazy. We don’t eat much meat throughout the week, but fish, chicken and lots of roasted vegetables, leafy greens, smoothies and tons of water. I find that when I’m less active, my water/nutrition starts to slide, so as long as I’m getting my exercise in, good healthy habits naturally follow.
Fitness routine: everything (for me personally) is tied to movement and getting some form of exercise, daily. When I start skipping workouts is exactly when I start to see my energy + mood shift. It’s not a dramatic or sudden thing, it’s a subtle, slow build. A domino effect!
When I’m following through on my workouts, I’m automatically drinking more water, eating healthier and getting better sleep. Since March, I’ve been working out from home, mainly pilates + yoga. I’ve become obsessed with Melissa Wood‘s MWH method on her app. They’re short but SUPER targeted workouts that usually don’t exceed 20 mins. They’re challenging but never feel daunting, so it’s become something I actually look forward to. She releases a weekly workout plan every Monday too, so you have something to follow and never get bored.
Wellness go-to’s: finally, these are a few things I keep in my back pocket for those days when I’ve just had enough and need to unwind and decompress:
+ take a hot bath
+ read in bed
+ take my dog for a walk
+ call it a day and go to bed early
My belief is that for long-term success (in anything) you need to build good habits that will overflow into all other areas of life. Life will always throw curveballs, but it’s how we learn to handle them that creates real + long lasting success.
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