HELLO THERE I’M BACK!!!

So between my 6-week shoulder surgery recovery, holidays, moving, and career upheaval, the past few months have lacked any sort of semblance of a routine. I went to bed when I wanted, woke when I wanted, got happy hour and stayed up wayyy past my bedtime when I wanted, even greeted my snooze button with a swift tap a few more times than I’d like to admit in the mornings.

As a self-proclaimed early-riser and go-getter, I was at first disappointed in myself for letting my “healthy lifestyle” habits slide off the table. But in looking back over where 2018 has carried me so far, I’m realizing it is OK to shake up your routine — sometimes it is even crucial.

January and February were hard. I no longer had butt-in-chair office requirements to keep me in line. I didn’t have bosses to report to. I was still the new kid in town, so my social calendar looked a bit different. My day-to-day truly was what I created. While this may seem quite blissful, at times it was very much the opposite:

Like just tell me how someone is supposed to be productive on a Monday when it is 77 degrees and sunny outside, and I am but mere steps from the beach? How do I remain financially stable while studying, schooling, and building my business?

But life is picking up. Here’s how I (perfectly imperfect) stayed sane during the chaos of moving:

Get Clear on Purpose

After years of thought, and months of deep prayer, what I once thought was a hobby is finally becoming my main focus. Teaching spin a handful of times a week has blossomed into a business plan with the intention to help others, specifically young women, lead healthy, vibrant lives free from the confines of lack of self-confidence, bullying, disordered eating, and media expectations. 

I knew there was a reason I went through what I did — years of eating disorders, bullying, depression, and anxiety — and I finally see the why behind it all. I then looked to my talents. I blended the rush of adrenaline from each class I taught, the plentiful endorphins, the sweaty smiling faces of my clients, and beyond encouraging feedback from my studio communities and my sisters to redefine my goals and land me on the legacy I want to leave behind, and just how I was to do it.

Stick to Healthy Habits (80% of the time)

Setting my alarm during the week, getting regular exercise, and cooking food at home keeps my mind and body in check when I’m in a routine upheaval. Instead of letting myself lounge in bed all day or stay up with movies or out late into the night, I decided to get back to a somewhat regular sleep schedule. Our bodies are actually wired for routine and crave habitual snoozing and rising times, so I used the “bedtime” alarm on my iPhone to keep on a regular 8-hour shut-eye schedule.

To fuel my body and keep my energy and spirits high, I attended a Corepower sculpt or megaformer class at Titan Core at least four times a week. This was my space to let my mind unwind while working my body. Not to mention it is a great place to make friends! What I ate was also vital. Sure, I ate out more than I really wanted to. But the nights I spent preparing dinners for friends with enough leftovers for lunch signaled the close of the day in the perfect way, all the while beating away any loneliness I had from working by myself behind my computer.

Create Home, Wherever

I am a homebody. I love having my space, my place of peace to rest and a launch pad for my mornings. But in Hawaii while still recovering from my financial hit from the last year means getting scrappy and flexible when it comes to living spaces. When at my sister’s house I organized my few articles of clothing in my little red-painted studio (dubbed Casita Aloha), dolled it up simply with a bath mat and toothbrush holder and set of towels and cheerful shower curtain. I made my bed daily, even though it was just an air mattress. I taped a few of my favorite prints to the walls and placed a mood board collage on a shelf.

When I am couch surfing, I carry along my favorite pillow and blanket, earplugs, an eye mask, and my favorite essential oil. Settling in these days looks a little bit different from I imagined it to be (though to be honest, I am not entirely sure how I pictured it…). Until I find my dream rental (at a dream rental price, manifesting hardcore!) all I need is my toothbrush, a quiet space and a good friend to lend me a place to lay my head.