We survived mercury retrograde, and boy, was it a journey! Even people who don’t believe in astrology or mercury retrograde affecting them felt it this past month! But we made it out alive.
Personally speaking, I always wonder how people stay motivated on their goals when moments like this happen astrologically. Mercury being the planet of communication, I’ve found it difficult to maintain my blog and YouTube all of June. Because I write and film for fun, I don’t put too much pressure on myself to stay on a schedule. But, staying on a routine regardless of outside circumstances is really the key to success. I have so many goals to achieve, this blog being only the first step to aiding in all of that.
Routines Aren’t That Easy
Routines are so simple yet really challenging for me to stick to. I think routines are the main reason I can’t stay at one job for too long! Especially if it’s in an office. My Sagittarius moon needs constant change in order to truly be satisfied! I’ve also done some light reading that mentioned women, in general, may have a more difficult time staying on a routine because of our moon cycles! Every month, there’s a certain sweet spot where we are more likely to be energized and motivated to get a lot done, but we also need times of rest. And during those times, I find myself struggling to be okay with that.
In a perfect world, I think we’d all rather work when we’re inspired to, but that’s not possible in a capitalist system. Our bodies need rest, but the bills don’t allow it! And if you want to make a living doing what you love, you must be on a routine. But then your passion may start to feel like work. It starts to feel like we only have two options. Do what makes us unhappy but pays the bills and only do what we love when we’re inspired, or do what we love until it starts to feel like work. But maybe, just maybe, it won’t feel like work. I think it’s worth following your dreams, regardless if it makes you unhappy one day. Working a regular job definitely makes me unhappy, but my passion only may make me unhappy one day.
What Helps Me Stay on Routine
Now, I’m clearly not perfect, as I mentioned above I struggle with maintaining my routines for extended periods of time. But, I’m getting better! I used to struggle with routines on a week-to-week basis, and I’ve improved a lot with that. I’ll share with you guys what has helped me so far, in hopes it can help you too!
The very first thing I would recommend doing is sitting down with a paper and pen and writing out your ideal “dream day”. You really learn a lot about yourself with this one exercise, and it makes it so much easier to plan out a routine so you can start to morph your routine into your “dream day”.
Then you have to decide if mornings, afternoons, or evenings are better for you to work on your goals, depending on your main job, if you have kids, etc. I understand everyone has different responsibilities, so hopefully, you can carve out just one hour minimum to focus on your goals. The more hours, the better, but you’d be surprised how much you can get done in just one hour when you’re entirely focused. Make sure your phone is on do not disturb!
Make a daily to-do list!
Our phones make this really easy. On iPhone, you can go to the reminders app and set daily reminders to check off. I’m not sure the psychology behind why it’s so satisfying to check off a box, but it really does make me wanna finish my goals! It also helps if you add it as a widget on your home screen, so your daily goals are the first thing you see when you unlock your phone! Include a variety of reminders that lead to your ideal day. Getting your goals done is important, but it’s also good to put reminders for taking your vitamins or getting a daily stretch in. The idea is to have overall balance in your life. When I have the proper nutrients in my body, it gives me the energy I need to check off the rest of my reminders.
Prioritize sleep.
I know this hustling culture makes us feel like we can’t truly succeed unless we’re willing to get minimal sleep. But I think it does the opposite. When we go to bed at a decent hour and get enough sleep, it makes it so much easier to jump out of bed in the morning and get our day started. But, maybe I’m only speaking for myself on that one! I am a morning person, after all. When the sun is up, I’m up, and I’m most inspired to work on my goals. But maybe if you’re a night owl, staying up later is better for you. As long as you’re still getting a decent amount of time to let your body rest, it’s fine.
Meal prep.
I find it interesting that most successful people eat the same meals on a daily. But it makes perfect sense. Food is necessary for us to maintain energy and good health, but eating also gets in the way of our goals sometimes. Let me explain cause that sounds weird. Eating/cooking is so important culturally! It’s how we meet up with friends and family, and it’s how some of us even show our love to one another. It’s so easy to go out with friends and have pizza or burgers, but we know those foods won’t give us the nutrients we need to stay focused. And eating out is a luxury that not everyone can afford, especially if you’re trying to save your money for something better.
When we meal prep, we know exactly what we’re eating and how healthy it is for us. It saves us time that can now be used to complete our daily goals. But again, it’s all about balance. if you still want to have fun over dinner with friends, you totally can. Just make sure it’s only about once or twice a week. And if you still need to budget but want to enjoy eating with friends, schedule weekly potlucks at a friend’s home! Everyone saves money and still has a good time.
Exercise.
It’s so important to move around for even 30 mins at the very least. Bonus points if you can exercise outdoors in the sun! Figure out what time works for you. I personally prefer mornings because I get it out of the way immediately, and I find it easy to eat healthier after I’ve already worked out.
Finally, be mindful of what you watch.
It’s so easy to get trapped in our phones and mindlessly keep scrolling. There’s nothing wrong with relaxing and watching whatever you wanna watch, but try to make sure you only do it after you’ve completed your daily goals. For one, watching videos afterward feels like a reward, and two, it won’t really matter if you get lost in your phone scrolling, cause your goals are already complete. There’s no guilt! At least in my experience.
The Pendulum of Life
These tips and tricks helped me so much when staying on my routine. It’s not perfect and I don’t always complete my goals, but with repetition, it gets easier. At the end of the day, life is a pendulum and sometimes we’re gonna move with it, no matter how hard we try to stay on one side. It’s important to honor those moments and not beat yourself up when you’re going through the lows. The best part about being low is knowing you’ll be up again. Nothing is permanent! Enjoy the journey, and if you end up on the wrong path, you can always turn around and start again.
I hope this was helpful for some of you who also struggle with staying on a routine. My DMs are always open to feedback! Or you can always email me at lylajasper@aworldofhoney.com
