Build Natural Routines That Keep You Mindful and Growing

Welcome to MindfulMornings! In today’s email, you’ll learn about:

• Choosing Habits That Feel Natural to You

• How Daily Reflection Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

Here are 2 quotes, 2 tips, and 1 question to help you build healthy habits this week…

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Through a variety of simple yet powerful practices, our 28-Day Mindfulness Roadmap guides you step-by-step toward greater peace, clarity, and well-being. From meditation and breathwork to mindful eating and walking meditation, you’ll discover practical ways to bring mindfulness into every aspect of your daily life – whether you’re new to these practices or looking to deepen your journey.

2 Quotes

1. “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” - Rabindranath Tagore

2. "Stop asking: “How do I fix myself?” Start asking: “How do I position myself where my natural traits are assets?" - James Clear

2 Tips

1) Choose Habits That Feel Natural To You

Here’s why:

Each of us is born with a unique set of traits, skills, and preferences. This individuality can make some habits feel natural and others a constant struggle. When we try to force ourselves into habits that don't match who we are we often give up. But when we choose habits that align with our natural preferences, we're more likely to stick with them and feel good doing them.

Here are some simple steps to find and develop habits that work for you:

1. Check-in with yourself

   • Notice how your current habits make you feel. Start with any new habits you are trying to form in the New Year.

   • Does your habit leave you energized or feeling drained? Do you dread doing it?

    

2. Look for alternatives that feel more natural
   If something isn't working, try a different approach. For example:

   • Want to exercise but don’t like running? Try walking in nature.

   • Aiming to work on a side project but struggling with early mornings? Work on your project in the evening.

      

3. Consider reducing the commitment

   • It’s easy for us to start a new habit and make it too difficult. Be mindful not to confuse this with you dreading the habit itself.

   • In the case of running, you might be expecting too much too soon and need to shorten the run for the first couple of weeks.

      

4. Test and adjust

   • Give yourself permission to experiment.

   • Remember: there's no "right" way - only what works for you.

   • Be mindful that you don’t rule out a habit too early. Some habits can take time before the benefits or rewards are seen.

    

5. Use helpful tools

   • Try the VIA Character Strengths Survey to get a better understanding of your natural strengths.

    

6. Keep it consistent

   • Once you find habits that feel good, commit to them.

   • Start small - tiny changes add up.

The best habits are the ones you'll actually do. Let go of what you think you "should" do and find what feels natural and enjoyable whilst still working towards your goals.

2) How Daily Reflection Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

Why:

When we set big goals for the year it is easy to forget that it's what we do each day that matters. Taking small steps each day helps us reach our bigger goals. We outlined ways to break down your bigger goals in our recent newsletter: Plan Your Year with Purpose

When we pause to reflect on our day, we can recognize these small wins and see if we're moving in the right direction.
 
Here's an easy way to start your reflection practice:

1. Choose Your Focus Areas

   • Pick your 3 most important goals

    

2. Create Your Daily Questions

   • Create one question for each goal to ask yourself at the end of the day. Try to keep these open-ended to avoid a simple yes or no answer

   • If your goal is related to meditating more: "What did I enjoy about my practice today?"

   • If your goal is related to cultivating joy or kindness: "How did I show kindness to others?"

   • If your goal is related to a specific project: "What did I enjoy about working on [X] today?"

    

3.  Set Up Your Routine

   • Pick a quiet time each evening for reflection

   • Spend 5-10 minutes thinking about your questions

   • Write your thoughts down, or simply sit quietly with them

    

4. Stay Flexible

   • Change your questions when they no longer serve you

   • Adjust your focus areas as you grow

Try to frame your reflection questions positively when reviewing daily tasks and goals. Questions like "What did I enjoy?" or "What did I learn?" help you cultivate positive feelings towards the habit and increase the likelihood you will stick with it.

1 Question

If you could offer one piece of yourself - a skill, talent, or quality - to someone today, what would it be and why?

Thanks for reading! We hope you have a joyful week.

With gratitude,

MindfulMornings

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