Morning tea - perfectionism can sneak into your morning routine

Yogis are famous for their morning routines. It’s a favourite topic of mine… but maybe not for the reasons you think.

I often get asked if I do yoga every morning.

The answer?

If, by yoga, you mean rolling out my mat and getting sweaty – absolutely not.

If, by yoga, you mean coming to the present moment, being with what is; being absolutely present – then yes, I find a moment every day, not necessarily in the morning, to do this.

It might look like sitting cross-legged, palms upturned, serene look on my face while my leg falls asleep.

It might look like sitting in the ‘den’ in the garden, cradling a warm mug of green tea, feeling the warmth spread through my whole body.

It might look like sitting with a friend or client, listening deeply to their words – and what’s beneath them.

After hundreds of hours of meditation it has become easier to find that still calm space inside, where everything fits like a perfect puzzle and nothing is broken or missing.

The thing is, it’s easy to love yourself when you’ve had your morning green juice, rolled out your mat, sweated, meditated, omm-ed, chanted, mantra-ed, mudra-ed and mala-beaded, rolled away your mat, lit a candle, set your intention for the day, called on your guides and got ready to go, knowing you have a vegan stew on the slow-cooker.

But what if you rolled straight out of bed, turned on your laptop and scrolled Facebook for 30 minutes… or an hour?

Could you still love yourself then?

You know there’s not a rule that says you can’t have a great day unless you’ve spent a fifth of it preparing for the rest of it, right?

Of course, starting your day consciously and looking after your body, mind and spirit is a beautiful way to start the day. By doing so you probably will feel super-connected, calm and pretty self-loved up.

And if this is working for you, and feels really good, and the benefits are spreading out into the rest of your life – please, continue.

But if you’re trying desperately to force yourself to have the perfect morning routine, because that fits into your idea of what it means to be perfect… eek… and you actually don’t enjoy it at all, and when you don’t have the time to do it you feel like you’ve failed and the rest of your day is ruined – please, stop.

Because here’s the thing – Self-Care is only Self-Care if it feels REALLY GOOD. Otherwise, it’s just another should. And we REALLY don’t need another should in our lives.

How about waking up and asking yourself – what do I feel like doing to greet this day?

And then doing that.

With love.

Want more where that came from?

For more inspiration, creativity and self-care tips, sign up here. And why not come and join me over in my private Facebook group, Unapologetically YOU. It’s a special place for you to be yourself, share your experiences and meet others who want to do the same. I look forward to getting to know you there.
Photo via Unsplash.com

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