Curating an Evening Routine
Hello to you!
Welcome to this little chat about honouring intentional living and how to curate an evening regimen for your self-care.
Yoga off the mat for me in the recent weeks has looked like working on curating a night time routine. It's trendy and common knowledge to say that morning rituals are supremely important and supportive to maintaining a well-rounded lifestyle but night time rituals don't seem to get the same kind of popularity. To be honest, I almost never thought about what I should (could) be doing for my health and mindfulness in the evening once I did a yoga practice or a foam roller session. I do believe it was a podcast that brought this missing element to my attention (I sincerely wish I could remember it for you but no luck) and although I have not proven to be extremely successful, I have been slowly pecking away at curating a very caring routine in the evening to set me up for the next day coming. Do you recall when you were in school and you were advised to study the important material before going to bed because it registers more effectively into your subconscious mind? Well I have observed that to be true and even more potent nowadays with the mish mosh pandemic days we live through.
How you exit the day at end has a profound effect on your awakening to the next day. How can you plant seeds of care and healthful intentions for your next day before you head to sleep this evening? Allow yourself the next moments to generate an idea organically. Maybe that thing you just thought up was the right thing and if so, I love that for you. If you're still hungry for a suggestion, here are some ideas that might get the ball rolling for you sweet new night time plan.
I went about it like this: I wrote down a list of things I like to do or wish to bring into my life that feel like care and are appropriate for evening unwinding. Then I scan the list of potential rituals and choose two to commit to. It matters not which two I choose, it's more about the intention to be there for myself and downregulate my nervous system for a proper rest.
- brew a herbal tea
- skin care routine
- gua sha stone - lymphatic drainage
- meditate
- legs up the wall or alternative passive inversion
- sit in silence with a set time to check in with energy
- write in journal (structured with prompts or intuitively)
- reading that is not overly stimulating
- shower, bathe to cleanse energy and decompress
- tidy any messes (low effort)
- calming breathwork
- energy cleanse with incense or sage
- abdomen massage with calming essential oil blend
- hands on body reflection to strengthen relationship to self
- sip on magnesium drink or adaptogenic elixir
Some days this happens organically and it feels like a dream and other days I fall into a sabotaging practice of falling asleep on the couch and feeding my perpetual neck tension, leading me to feel cranky and sore the next day. It is all okay. My humanity recognizes your humanity, always. Be intentional with your thoughts and actions but please please please refrain from the urge to be punitive and unkind to yourself while you work on bettering yourself and lifestyle.
Stay Well and Be Kind to Yourself FIRST.
Breathe Well & Be Well
Marlies
