Old Habits Renewed

By Miranda

So it has been a couple of weeks since our last entry, since my commitment to renewing old healthy habits. Did you attempt to pick up any healthy habits of your own? How did it go for you?

Well, for me, it was hard!

I committed to three things. Cooking and organizing our meals wasn't too challenging. We've been eating very healthy foods and meals (by most standards) for years, so it was just a matter of renewing a little discipline and committing a small increase in time spent on preparation.
Check.

Another goal was to spend more time outdoors. Easy peasy! Baby and I have spent at least 10 minutes outside every day--often we have spent over an hour, mostly finding leaves on the lawn or hiking about and admiring other people's doggies in the park. Breathing fresh air, slowing down, sitting on the earth--this has been a nice addition to our day.

The most challenging commitment has been renewing the habit of doing yoga and meditation before bed. After a day of work and an evening of baby-wrangling, followed by that meal-preparation I committed to, I just want to sit on the couch and watch some videos online before I go to sleep.

But that's not what my body wants. Or my mind.

I have found the past few weeks to be challenging and stressful in various vague ways...too much to do and not enough time with less endurance than I'm accustomed to.

So I have felt the need to support my body and mind.
The signs?
more tired than usual
forgetful and a bit scattered
shallow breathing
difficulty quieting my mind
This is how I know I need to not give in and lump-up on the couch.

So, Jason and I found a compromise with our time. On weekends, we veg out in the evening, and on work nights, we do 30-60 minutes of yoga followed by meditation before bed.

And that has been such a wise, wise choice. After our routines, my body feels so melty and nice, I sleep so easily and deeply, my mind finds its calm, and my body's flexibility and balance is being restored.

It has been well worth the effort and the sacrifice of some couch potato time. The biggest benefit is beyond the calm, the flexibility, and the health--it is the pride I take in having chosen healthy habits that are truly beneficial to me.

Easing back in to these habits, we have found other healthy habits naturally reinstating themselves without any effort! In the next week or two, Jason and I will begin our internal "Spring cleaning," and will share these habits with you as we prepare to do more concentrated detoxifying.

I hope you have been able to reinstate an old healthy habit or two, or to pick up a new one. 
If not, now is the time to start! No one is stopping you but yourself.