My 5 daily habits!

For someone who detested routines for years and years, I’m finally finding the value in routines. Except I like calling them rituals. Suddenly shifts the focus from monotony to something of value.

I find that rituals help in instilling a sense of discipline, they help in looking at the little details in life, they help mark progress and they help in centering. These for me have been the most valuable effects of creating rituals.

Though I work extensively with children and see great value in repetition (especially with preschoolers), I’ve always wondered how do you inculcate a sense of discipline in them that’s self led. And imagine if we could actually get them to develop habits like pursuing a hobby for the joy of it, engaging in physical activity every single day, meditating, etc, we could truly be contributing towards a better world. The more I think about this, I feel the only way to get them to do it, is by not telling them to do it but instead getting ourselves to form daily habits. Because then you’re allowing your experience to touch them in ways that could help shape their day to day practice. Because the way we do anything is the way we do everything.

Here are 5 rituals that I’ve started inculcating in my life -

1. Start my day with a 2 minute headstand - Inversions are a great way to get more oxygen and nutrients flowing to the brain. I love that I start my day by feeding my brains and finding my balance (literally!)
2. Warm water and lime - I have no memory of when this became a habit but it’s something I cannot do without anymore. A lot of people think this helps in weight loss. But I can tell you one thing for sure, it helps in hydrating your body after 7-9 hours of no water intake. Also, it forces you to sit down and do that one thing quietly.
3. BREAKFAST - This by far is the happiest meal of the day for me. It could be an egg or some fruits or an elaborate muesli bowl or even leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. But knowing that I’ve fed my body helps me function better. And days when I get to make that elaborate bowl loaded with fresh seasonal fruits - the only thing I feel is gratitude! Gratitude for the sheer joy of flavours and freshness and nature and food!
4. My water bottle - I haven’t purchased water in very very long and I cannot move without my steel bottle. It’s something that I feel absolutely incomplete without.
5. Flossing - As a child, I had insane number of cavities. As an adult, I still can’t do without chocolates after every meal and even in between. I picked up flossing somewhere in between being a child and an adult because I was petrified of dental treatments and it’s one of the best habits I might have developed for myself. I get a ‘good job’ from my dentist every single visit. And even for a 32 year old, that sort of appreciation feels awesome. It’s just like that star sticker for a 3 year old! The only hitch here is that dental floss is not sustainable. So if any of you know of floss that is eco friendly yet works like the good old waxed nylon floss, do let me know. Also, guilty, but have to admit, for the longest time I used to just flush floss after use in the toilet. 

I’m also wondering if I should make a list of things not to flush down the toilet since I’m pretty sure that we all have or still end up flushing down a lot of things that don’t actually belong there.

So here’s my list of 5 daily habits.

I find it interesting that sometimes we may not know why we do certain things or how are they helping us, except that they contribute to some sense of peace. And that part about humans fascinates me. The habits that make people who they are.  And I cannot wait to read about some of your daily habits!

Do share in comments what habits are you choosing to turn into daily rituals?