My Morning Routine

Sunrise over lake

A couple months ago, I wrote that I intended to wake up extra early after the fall time change to work on some personal goals. Unfortunately I came down with a nasty case of strep throat a week after the time change, and I was sleeping a ton while I was sick, so my plan to trick my body into thinking the time change hadn’t happened was unsuccessful. But I managed to get somewhat back on track after I recovered, and while my record of sticking with this routine is not 100%, it’s going pretty well. I like the extra bit of energy and peace I get from exercising and meditating early in the morning. Having some quiet time to myself is a nice way to start the day, even if I do seriously struggle to drag myself out of bed some days.

I enjoy reading about how other people spend and manage their time, and I thought some of you might like to read about how I have organized my mornings, particularly now that there’s a baby in the mix (spoiler alert: this routine only works because the baby usually sleeps pretty late and I have someone else helping to get him ready for daycare). Here’s what a typical weekday morning looks like for me right now:

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Can Minimalism, Mindfulness, and Gratitude Save You From Hedonic Adaptation?

A rocky beach with blue water and a clear blue sky

Have you ever felt unsatisfied even though you know that what you have is exactly what you once wanted? There’s a term for that: hedonic adaptation. It refers to how the momentary happiness of something new wears off quickly, and we adjust to our changed circumstances. The thing we wanted becomes normal and unexciting once we have it for a while.

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Happy 2nd Birthday, Alexigraph!

A bouquet of yellow flowers in a glass vase

Today is my two-year blogiversary. As someone with a lot of ideas who often doesn’t see them through, I’m proud to have stuck with this project for two whole years. Thank you for joining me on this journey and taking the time to read what I write!

Here are some of my favorite posts from the past year, in no particular order:

What to Do with Your Tax Refund Instead of Buying Stuff

Keeping the Weeds of Life from Taking Over

I Challenged Myself to the 30-Day Minimalism Game. Here’s How It Went.

What I Learned from Reading My Elementary School Report Cards as an Adult

On Matrescence, the Transition Into Motherhood

Why I Don’t Hate My Student Loans

Understanding the Declining U.S. Fertility Rate

To My Parents on Their 50th Anniversary

Social Anxiety and Learning to be Ourselves, Comfortably

I’m Happy To Be a Working Mother. Really.

Do you have a favorite post from the past year?

Why Self-Imposed Rules and Challenges are Good for Us

Trigger warning for those with eating disorders: This post discusses dietary restrictions.

I’m a big fan of 30-day challenges, and I’ve done a bunch of them throughout my life. Project 333, the Minimalist Game, Whole 30, a month as a vegan, 30 days of daily yoga, meditation, writing…you can make a 30-day (or 3-month, or 1-year) challenge out of just about any goal. I also frequently impose rules on myself, like the time I didn’t allow myself to buy any more clothes until I had worn every single item already in my wardrobe at least once, or when I tried the Every Other Day Diet or becoming a vegetarian. So why do I keep doing this stuff? We live in a free society! Why not just let myself do whatever I want to do in the moment?

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