What's Your Ritual?
My blog is centered around how to take care of your body in the forms of exercise and healthy meals. However, I have yet to touch on the importance of mental health, which is just as important as physical health (if not more important)! I would not consider myself a very zen person. I get stressed easily and I over schedule myself to underestimate how much time I have to complete my various tasks. I find that this stressed state of mind affects my mood and how I act towards the people around me in a negative way. I feel that creating an every day ritual that helps put you in a positive headspace would positively affect mental health and mood.
I recently moved into a house with new roommates who have taught me how they care for their mental and spiritual wellbeing. I am not a very spiritual person and it is sometimes difficult for me to get my head out of its stressed state. One of the practices that my roommate uses to get herself in a positive headspace is meditation. Every morning, she sits outside with her yoga mat and crystals and meditates, which is her way of resetting for the incoming day. Meditation definitely is not for everyone. In fact, I took a meditation class at SDSU my freshman year and found that meditation really is not for me.
My other roommate, like me, does not enjoy meditation. However, after living with her for the past 3 months, I have noticed that she cannot go a morning without eating a bagel with cream cheese and tomato and watching an episode of Friends. When I asked her about it, she described very similar feelings that my other roommate had about meditation. She felt that it helped her start the day off on a positive note and she would not feel satisfied if she could not do this every morning. Some mornings, if people am working in the dining room, she'll eat her bagel and prop her phone up on the table to watch Friends.
My ritual is quite simple, but absolutely essential if I am going to start my day off right. I am very particular about my coffee and if I don't get to make my latte every morning, I always start the day off on a bad note. It's interesting to consider how such a seemingly small ritual can play such an essential role in our daily headspace!
I encourage you to consider your ritual and set that extra time aside every day to create a healthy and happy mindset. Even if you don't think you have one, click here for a list of rituals that you could try out.
Hello Genne, I really enjoyed reading this blog as mental health is a very important topic to talk about. Though most people aren't necessarily fond of sharing on full scales it's important to recognize those things within ourselves. I definitely have a morning routine too though haven't though much about it and how it affects my day though it definitely does on many levels. Thank you for sharing this positive insight on routines.
ReplyDeleteHey Genne! I am really glad you chose to further explore the important topic of mental health. Some people do not realize how critical mental health is and how it is just the same as important as physical health and I am really glad you included this. I completely relate to you where I overboard myself with tasks and are highly stressed about them. I like how you alluded to positive headspace can possibly lead to a positive mental health and mood. Meditation is a great start, although it is not for everyone, I feel calm and have a clear mind once I sit and relax. Everyone has a unique way of finding their inner peace and I think you did an amazing job of showing 3 different ways of finding your own happy and healthy mindset.
ReplyDeleteHi Genne! I found it interesting how you were able to find a connection between your roommate who meditates and your other roommate who doesn't but has a morning routine to kickstart her day. It reminded me of my own routine I do before I go to sleep which is taking a hot bath, relaxing in bed watching netflix with my boyfriend and cat. I think without this daily routine, I would be a lot more stressed out. Although I am believer that meditation has a lot to offer (the research backs this up), I sometimes get too caught up in my to do list, I don't make the time for it. Having a daily routine of self-care, no matter what it is, is good to have in order to unwind and feels like hitting a much needed reset button.
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ReplyDeleteHello Genna,
ReplyDeleteI very much enjoyed reading this blog. I think that mental is an important part of ourself that we should take care of. The stories you provided about how your friends how they have rituals to clear their mind and start the day.The part where talked about mediation is interesting, I always find mediation to be the most relaxing and I can from the story you told that your friend also enjoys it. I would love to try meditation as a way for me to clear my head and just relax. It is also a way for me to help start my day with a clear and good mindset.I could see that you love to drink a latte which I find to be interesting. I'm not a hug fan of coffee. Just by looking at that picture of the latte, it look delicious.
Hey Genna,
ReplyDeleteIt's Liane! I really love your blog and this post is super cute. I love how you talk about how everyone has their own rituals that get people through their days. Personally, I also can't start a day without coffee or else I would feel so grumpy for the rest of my day.
Hey Genna,
ReplyDeleteI think that mental health is a great topic to focus on especially around this time. I think we all need reminder that we need to take time to focus on ourselves. I usually try to spend a day outside and refocus on everything from that week. I find that mediation really does bring me to a relax state.
Hey Genna,
ReplyDeleteI loved this! I am all about rituals and routine so I really connected with what you were saying and how much it helps really our mental health. I find that every few moths or so my rituals and routine will change based on what I am needing at the time. But most recently I love waking up about 30 minutes earlier than I really need to, and finding a cozy spot to sit in another room and just doing something quietly for me before the havoc of the day begins. Just like you though coffee is a must in any and all MORNING rituals!