Recent Routine Upgrades

New obsessions for A.M. and P.M.

Does anyone remember that TLC show My Strange Addiction? Where people would deep dive into their obsessions with licking stuffed animals or huffing Oreos? Is that still on? Honestly, great content.

Anyways, my strange addiction, or rather hobby, would be asking people about their routines.

There’s nothing I delight in more than hearing the painstaking detail of someone’s morning rituals.

What is the very first thing you do when you open your eyes? Why? Do you check your phone? Make the bed? Do you pee or brush your teeth first? Do you have socks on? Is the room cold?

Tell me everything.

Same thing for evenings.

I want to know how you wind down. Or how you don’t wind down at all, and how you’re just an exhausted member of society collapsing into the covers to doom scroll for 20 minutes while promising yourself you’ll floss tomorrow.

But also, what color are your pajamas?

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Routines are beautiful, and sacred even. The things we do on autopilot, the backbones of our days. Reflections of our inner monologues.

And truthfully, I’m a bit of a routine snob. That is to say, I love my mornings and my evenings. They’re practical, functional, and perfectly customized to me. However, they are constantly in flux. Constantly evolving, growing, and changing along with me and the demands of my body and my daily life.

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And the reason I love to routine interview people is because I’m always looking for new ideas. New inspiration for things I can leverage myself.

So for those of you also looking for some inspo, here are some recent upgrades that have elevated my mornings, my evenings, and my in-betweens.

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A.M.

Dandelion Tea

The latest weapon in my beverage arsenal. Dandelion tea has long been celebrated for it’s benefits to the liver and kidneys, gently stimulating bile production and acting as a natural diuretic. Often paired with my mid-morning yogurt bowl (hot and cold contrast always), I can confirm I’ve noticed a significant reduction in overall water retention and improved digestion since adding this to the daily lineup.

3 A.M. Soup Prep

Somehow chopping and peeling 87 thousand carrots feels easier when it’s done before sunrise. Jazz on the Bose and matcha an arm’s length away, I have been finding it incredibly relaxing to spend a large chunk of my mornings making soup for that day’s lunch. And letting it softly simmer while I clean up the kitchen’s chaos is straight up nervous system medicine.

Buckwheat Sourdough Starter

If you caught my recent post, you may recall that my current obsession is baking with buckwheat. What started as quick bread loaves and apple scones, turned into full blown buckwheat sourdough. Feeding my newbie buckwheat starter has now become an integral part of my morning routine. I get breakfast, and so does she.

Space Heater

Though we do love it, our little townhouse by the river isn’t the most modern thing in the world. Our dishwasher would pair perfectly with an Easy Bake Oven and our master bathroom may or may not have a working heat vent. But in comes my favorite Amazon purchase of the season to save the day: my space heater. I like to turn this baby on high first thing in the morning to “preheat” the bathroom while I get back in bed with my red-light mask. It makes peeling off my pajamas to step into my 1st athleisure fit of the day just slightly less painful.

Cozy Christmas Jazz

‘Tis the season, so we’ve officially transitioned from Jazz for Autumn to Cozy Christmas Jazz. If you know, you know.

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P.M.

Castor Oil Packs

Like I mentioned, I’m always looking for routine enhancement ideas from others. And after reading this post from Emilina Lomas, I immediately ordered this castor oil pack kit. It’s been about 2 weeks now of consistent use, and I cannot stop talking about how amazing it is. My digestion is rocking and I’ve been loving waking up in the morning sans puffiness of any kind. The hype behind castor oil is incredibly justified.

Olive Da Face Balm

File under things I can’t stop talking about: this balm. I apply a generous layer to my face and neck after moisturizing at night. The air is so dry right now and this is my saving grace, making my skin feel so hydrated despite the sub freezing temps we’re working with.

Bedtime Carbs

Don’t get me wrong, I still love love my ninja creami. But recently I’ve found significant improvements to both sleep and digestion from switching to a carbohydrate focused pre-bed snack. Complex carbs in the evenings help shift your body into rest and digest mode by lowering cortisol and supporting melatonin production.

Current hyperfixation: a rosemary buckwheat scone and a hot cup of nighty night extra tea.

Rasāsvāda Black Ginger

I’m always on the hunt for a fun non-alcoholic bevvy, and this fall I discovered Rasāsvāda. No “natural favors” here. This brand makes botanical elixirs with 100% plants, crafted to support overall health and longevity. Sipping 2oz of their Black Ginger out of a mini wine glass is my current anti-inflammatory aperitif of choice.

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Routines are a bit of a funny paradox. Our brains love familiarity, and they provide us with a silly sense of security.

And to us, our routines are the same, day after day. But when you zoom out a bit, you’ll notice the subtle shifts. The little tweaks, upgrades, and edits here and there.

Because our needs are constantly evolving, and that’s okay.

And now that we’re about to officially enter try something new season, I encourage you to branch out. Don’t be afraid to mix things up - you might just find a new favorite.

So with that, let me know what’s currently working for you right now. I may just have to try it.

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Looking for more?

Check out recent newsletters below for some inspiration on how to level up your wellness:

• 7 Ways to Wellness: Volume 10

• My Evening Routine Starts at 2:00 P.M.

• The Gift Guide for Every Organ System

• Your Wellness Equation

• My Morning Routine Starts at 2:30 A.M.

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