Happy weekend ladies! ☀️
Alright, first things first: If you’ve been feeling like you’ve been stuck in a rut lately, you’re not alone. Maybe it’s the changing weather, maybe it’s the pre-holiday season doom, or maybe it’s just because you haven’t been carving out enough “me time” lately (or in my case, probably a combination of all three, and more).
Either way, I’ve been trying to experiment with different daily rituals and morning habits to see if anything clicks. It’s actually something I love to do — I am a huge believer in intentional lifestyle design, which is something that many people overlook.
What is lifestyle design? Think of it this way: image that you could manufacture your perfect day from scratch. What time would you wake up? What would you do before work or breakfast? Which tasks or goals would matter most? And how would you want to feel by the end of it? Once you can picture that crystal-clearly, you can start working backwards — adjusting your behavior, adding new habits and making larger overarching decisions that will bring that version of your perfect day a closer to your actual reality.
Pssst... Here's a few printable planners I thought you might like!
Anyway, one absolute non-negotiable addition to my morning routine is pouring myself a cup of coffee, sitting down with a cute notebook and my favorite pen (actually, I have one in each color 💁🏼♀️), and cranking out a few paragraphs also known as morning pages.
Adding this to my morning routine has been so helpful. By dedicating just a few minutes each morning to reflect on my thoughts, feelings, and anything that is stressing me out, I’m able to start my day with intention and clarity. Plus, the act of putting pen to paper is incredibly therapeutic, as it lets me release any negative emotions or stressors that are weighing my down. It’s really that simple!
The benefits of journaling seem to last with me all day, and my brain switches from stressed-out overthinking mode to problem-solving and creativity mode. I bring a notebook with me almost wherever I go these day, just in case inspiration for a new project strikes. Yes, I am that crazy person in line at the grocery store scribbling away. No shame!
That being said, some days, the words just aren’t flowing, in which case I resort to using journal prompts. Besides the few below, I have a whole collection of printable journal prompts here — each PDF workbook includes 30 prompts, and you can work through one per day for an entire month-long personal challenge. Ad hey, if you miss a day or two, who cares. Journaling is meant to be an ongoing, long-term habits, not something you need to do perfectly or that adds more stress to your to-do list.
By taking a few minutes to reflect on your goals and priorities for the week, you can make sure that your daily habits are moving you closer to where you want to end up.
The alternative is to jump right into your busy to-do list first thing in the morning, which sure, needs to get done. But by not taking a moment to pause for yourself, that’s how suddenly you look up and it’s 3pm and you haven’t had a moment to think… or suddenly it’s already Thursday and you haven’t made progress on the week’s most important task, or suddenly it’s already October and your New Year’s Resolutions are still at the starting line 😅
Sunday: Set the tone for the week ahead. What do you want this week to feel like — focused, calm, productive, fun? Write down three words to focus on and so you can try to create that feeling in your daily routine each day.
Monday: What would make this week feel like a success for you? Pick one thing that actually matters, and will actually move the needly towards your goals, and write about how you can work towards it little by little each day this week.
Tuesday: Write about something you've been avoiding lately, and why you think that might be — and be honest about what’s behind the procrastination: fear, boredom, perfectionism. Then write the smallest next step you can take to getting it done.
Wednesday: Write about the areas in your life where you might be overcomplicating things. What would happen if you simplified your approach — or just stopped trying so hard and let things unfold as they are meant to?
Thursday: Before the rest of the week flies by — what’s something (or someone) you’ve been overlooking this week that really deserves more attention or your gratitude? How can you make that known?
Friday: What drained your energy this week, and what fueled it? Use those insights to plan a more balanced weekend and the next week ahead. (Check this post for how to accelerate, delegate, and eliminate your to-do list!)
Saturday: If you could spend today living out your dream day, what would that look like? Be specific, and then try to actually go live it — even if it's just for a few hours this afternoon (and make sure to journal about it afterwards!)
Working through one of these journal prompts per day is sure to give you a week full of deep thinking, self-reflection and gratitude. I know it sounds cheesy, but just hear me out and give it a try. I promise you have nothing to lose, and morning journaling just might be a new habit you stick to afterwards (even if you don't do it every single day).
Grab your notebook, set a timer for ten minutes, and see what comes out — and get ready to have your best week ever!
