Ever create a routine and a few days into starting it you are struggling to keep it going? It could be that your routine wasn’t realistic enough. This is the second consideration during the creation phase. Making your routine realistic means creating a routine that fits into your current lifestyle and meets the needs of your life in this season.
Way too often we struggle to remain in the present moment. We are usually dwelling in the past or too focused on the future. This doesn’t help to create realistic routines. Your routine must serve your life right now. When you create a routine that aligns with your needs at this time, you instantly reap the rewards which make you more likely to maintain it.
To help you avoid making the mistake of creating an unrealistic routine, here’s a story that shares what not to do. Tiffany is a mom of a newborn. At 3 months postpartum she decides to create an exercise routine that includes strength training and intense cardio workouts although she hasn’t exercised in over 2 years. She begins her new exercise routine and after only 2 days, she realizes she needs to start slow and begins creating a more realistic exercise routine. This story is common. Sometimes we are so eager to make changes that we sabotage our success. It’s nothing wrong with wanting to make progress but progress starts with our present situation. To get you started in the right direction, here are a few suggestions and activities to help you create realistic routines.
First, it can be extremely helpful to accept your current season of life. Whether you are facing multiple challenges or completely content, you must accept your life for what it is. If you fail to do so, you will struggle to create a routine that will meet your current needs. To begin to fully lean into your season of life and accept where you are, there are two activities that can help. The first activity is a gratitude exercise. Jot down on a sheet of paper things that you are grateful for in this season. The list can be short or long. Gratitude practice is therapeutic and will allow you to focus less on the challenges you are facing and instead recognize the beauty of your current lifestyle.
The second activity is to create a “Later List”. This list includes actions that you want to do in your routine but would be best to add later when your life can handle it.
I want you to remember that realistic routines are healthier routines. As hard as it may be, lean into the life you have to be sure to create a routine for your life right now. Once you do so, the next stop is lesson 5 which will help you make it flexible.
