One of my goals for the year has been to devote myself to my practice which plays out in my morning and evening routines. Now that I have officially transitioned into my career as a Holistic Nutritionist, I am deeply committed to prioritizing my health and well-being in a way that I didn’t feel I had the time and space for in the transitionary phases of moving, leaving my corporate job, finishing school, launching my business etc. I came to the word ‘devotion’ from a writer’s group that I participated in this past fall, run by Fallon Collett of PFAEL. We were discussing the obstacles that come up in keeping up a practice of writing, amongst other forms of creative work and how coming to it as a ‘discipline’ can oftentimes lead to resentment, guilt, or rebellion. However, if we frame it as devotional it allows for messiness, and a come-as-you-are attitude which makes any practice more accessible, less rigid - maybe even enjoyable. Once I committed to devoting myself to my practice, it opened up space for creativity - If I am devoted to showing up every day, I can make small adjustments based on how I feel, or how that day is showing up for me (ie. weather, obligations, things not going as planned).
A couple of weeks ago, I saw an infographic that resonated with my sentiments above. It read:
First, it is an intention
Then a behaviour
Then a habit
Then a practice
Then a second nature
Then it is simply who you are
I think this perfectly encapsulates what a routine is, how we do it, why we do it, and who it shapes us into being.
How to Begin
Initiating a routine is something that I’m very passionate about, and help clients with all of the time, but it’s not as sexy or even exciting as we might think. The thing about routine is that it has to be something we can do pretty much all of the time - not every day for a week, or for all of January, but something we come back to every. single. day. That’s what makes it a routine! Of course, there will be times when we can’t, or have to pair down (vacations, life changes and events, commitments) but ideally, it’s something that we return to once our life gets back to its normal rhythms.
When I work with clients we start by pulling the curtain back on what their day-to-day looks like through various observation and reflection exercises. Start by paying close, granular attention to everything you do from the moment you wake up, to the moment you go to sleep. Guess what? You already have a routine! It may not be the one you want, but you start to realize that your habits make their way into your day around the same time consistently, and that’s the basis of a routine. This simple exercise is great because it shows you where you are at. If you spend your mornings, jolting out of bed, rushing to get ready for work, grabbing a coffee and breakfast sandwich from a takeout spot and scarfing it down on your commute (no judgment, we have all been there), odds are it would be unrealistic to try to begin an extensive morning routine consisting of a 30-minute meditation, a run around the block, and 5 minutes of cold exposure therapy. The best place to start would be getting to bed before 11 pm, having 7-9 hours of good quality sleep, waking up with enough time to shower and get dressed, and perhaps drinking a litre of water before you head out. This might sound boring, simple, or ‘not enough’ but it’s easier said than done, and good quality sleep and proper hydration are two of the cornerstones of health! Once you are clear on where you are in your process, and where you want to go, pick 1-3 things and devote yourself to practicing consistently each day to work towards your bigger picture. If you need some inspiration, visit the resources page on my website, which is full of ideas on how to get started.
I first took steps towards starting a health routine with intention in 2018 and I began with 2-3 litres of water and a green juice daily. I practiced this for two whole years before taking on anything else. Once your routine becomes second nature - or simply who you are - then the next level will reveal itself to you. Now that I’m 6 years into my practice of routine, I have cultivated one that suits my specific needs and is customizable to the season of nature or life that I find myself in. Winters lend themselves well to the most extended version as you will see below. There is more time spent indoors and in solitude. My morning routine is sacred as it’s a pure time that we can take advantage of to set the tone before life takes over our day. I’ve also built out an evening routine as the colder seasons ask us to rest and restore, I’ve been leaning on some practices that help to support my body in deep sleep.
My Morning Routine
Wake Up
Oral health routine (brush, tongue scrape, oil pull)
Hot lemon water with D3+K2, probiotics
Morning pages
Movement (yoga, pilates, a run) + meditation
Warming breakfast (miso soup, porridge, dal, or an egg dish)
Daytime supplements
My Evening Routine
Change into softer clothes
Meditation
Non-alcoholic spritz, herbal elixer or fresh pressed juice
Cook + eat dinner
Skincare + oral health routine
Castor oil pack (4x/week)
Herbal infusion (right now I’m loving nettle, chamomile and valerian)
Nighttime supplements
Red light mask (3x/week)
Movie, or read, or bath
Bed by 10 pm
Morning Miso Soup
As my passion for seasonal living deepens each cycle, I’ve been making an effort to switch out my smoothies for warmer breakfasts in the cooler months to support my digestion, and hormones (they control your body temperature), and to work with the elements instead of against them - next levels revealing themselves! A couple of weeks ago, Jesse and I watched Tampopo for the first time (run don’t walk if you haven’t seen it!) and I went to bed dreaming of a breakfast spread consisting of miso soup, rice, nori, and mackerel. I made do with what I had the next morning and it was so delicious and nourishing that it quickly became preferred to my porridge. This soup is loaded with protein, minerals and a depth of flavour that will have you properly equipped to meet the wintery day ahead. This recipe makes a single serving, but to cut down on the labour, I cook a couple packages of mushrooms at once and then keep them in the fridge to portion them out each morning.
1 ½ cups bone broth
1 tsp miso
1 package of toasted nori sheets, cut into ½ inch strips
2-3 baby bok choy, thinly sliced
¾ cup shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and torn
1 egg, soft-boiled or poached
Avocado oil
Toasted sesame oil
Tamari
Garnish options:
Furikake
Togarashi
Sliced scallions
Chopped cilantro
Chilli oil
Grated ginger
In a small sauce pot, add the broth and heat over medium-low. Whisk in the miso until fully incorporated then turn the heat down to low, add the nori and bok choy, and cover the pot. In a separate pan, heat some avocado oil over medium/high heat and then add the mushrooms. Cook for 5-6 minutes without disturbing so that they brown, flip them over and leave to cook again until coloured and crisp. Season the mushrooms with some tamari, toss, and then add to the soup. To serve, pour all of the soup contents into a bowl, add your egg, desired toppings, and drizzle with some toasted sesame oil.