Conscious living is the desire to simplify and declutter aspects of our lives (and ourselves) to give breathing space for where we want our energy to flow. However, we’re often limited by time and the ability to somehow do all that we want.
The potentiality of having 3 hours dedicated to just morning rituals sounds amazing. However, the majority of us don't always have the time to fit it all in before needing to scoot out the door. Not to mention days where we’re scrapping by in survival mode and running on empty?
Which begs the question - how can we begin and end even the busiest of days as mindfully as possible?
You can begin with stripping everything back to its most essential - a concept we refer to as "bookending" our day. In other words, how do we begin the day and how do we complete our day consciously?
How do you bookend your day?
Even on these days you can still create rituals to begin and end your day beautifully by dedicating little conscious moments to yourself. Here are three prompts to create your own ritual to begin and end your day:
- What is the first thing you do when you wake?
Before you begin your day, take a moment to reflect and sit in stillness before beginning the day. Like I explain in a blog post for creating mindful mornings, meditating as you connect with yourself to understand your emotions and feelings can be a beautiful way to reflect before starting the day.
- How can you make this a consciously connected, and intuitive action?
If, perhaps, you do want to start your day with meditation, gently observe your breathing and the thoughts that flow in. Meditation allows you to still your thoughts and draw awareness back to where you are, how you’re feeling and connect with yourself for a few moments. It’s all about setting a conscious intention to begin your day and for years, I’ve started my day with meditation.
What emotions are you feeling at this moment? What do you need to release with a sigh because you’re holding onto things that give you pain and anxiety? And if you are feeling discomfort; where is it and how does it feel? Sink into connecting with yourself, however, you are in this space and time. Whatever activity you choose to begin and end your day with - choose to take that time to reflect on your state of mind.
- What is one ritual/thing that you can do that helps you cultivate energy, wakefulness and renewed vitality to begin your day?
Why not part-take in an activity that could serve you in the best way possible - whether it’s writing, decluttering, nourishing yourself with a homemade meal, having a good conversation with a friend, doing some gentle yoga stretches or connecting with nature. Morning rituals can be best customized according to how you like it once you ask yourself, “What is it that you truly need?”
Look into your overall well-being. Similarly, with your night ritual, there are a variety of activities to choose from to customize a calming way to end the day. Whether it’s drinking tea, moon salutations, reading or lighting a candle as you disconnect from technology, choosing how to end your night can be a mindful and reflective experience.
