Trust Meet Consistency!
I’ve been on Martha’s Vineyard for a few weeks and will be here for a few more and this summer, and I wanted to take full advantage of the time I have by the beach. About a week ago I committed to waking up every morning for a beach meditation, unless it’s raining of course! The ocean is where I go to restore and connect more to myself. I’ve been wanting to ground in and tap into the wisdom of the great ocean while I’m out here and start my day off in a way that feels super juicy! It’s an honor and privilege to be able to be by the water and also I’m really NOT a morning person, so committing to anything in the morning has always been a huge struggle!
Creating a daily morning practice was something I attempted and fell short at year after year. I knew the mental and emotional benefits of meditation and wanted it, but yet my daily morning routine still didn’t stick. When I did create some consistency with meditation, my days went way more smoothly. I felt more ease with conversations, more flow with work and more connection to myself and others. It was only a few years ago, after an intensive retreat and with some ongoing support that I was able to shift this pattern and start implementing a daily morning meditation practice. Now it’s fun to add in other challenges and ways to deepen, such as going to the beach or changing the type of meditation. When we keep our commitments to ourselves we learn that we can not only trust ourselves, but also build up our own confidence!
Making any new commitment to yourself, be it a habit of starting a new morning workout, eating more nourishing foods or shifting a pattern in your relationships, all requires flexing a new sexy “consistency” muscle you probably didn’t even know you had! Just saying that you want to change something, isn’t always enough to create that lasting change.
If you’ve been feeling lately like consistency is challenging, I’ll share some thoughts on how to show up more for yourself and become more consistent!
Give your full focus!
You might be one of those people that can multitask. I personally am not! But if you are, when you’re building a new habit, put down the other things and allow yourself to fully focus on the one thing you’re doing. Multitasking complicates things and it’s harder for your brain (and heart) to know the importance of the habit you’re building.Ask the deeper why.
When you can commit to the deeper reason as to why you’re doing something and remind yourself of that in the moment, you’re much more likely to take action to keep it.Know you’re going to be inconsistent!
This might sound counterproductive as we’re talking about consistency, but you’re human and we all have our days. Even if you miss one day, be easy on yourself and pick up again tomorrow!Imagine you’re making a commitment to your best friend!
Oftentimes we will fully keep our commitments to our best friends, coworkers, managers but then drop the ball when it comes to ourselves. So imagine you’re making a commitment to the most important person in your life, cause in fact that person is actually you!Put it directly in your calendar.
It might seem funny to put “morning workout” or “go outside for fresh air” in your cal, but if you’re someone who lives by your calendar, leave the to do list behind and put it right into your daily plan.Celebrate celebrate and celebrate!
When we’re literally making new pathways in our brains with new habits, it’s important to have fun and celebrate your wins! So have a mini dance party, or give yourself an actual round of applause! In your own way, make sure to celebrate yourself and your daily wins!
As always, please share what resonates with you! Where are you looking to build consistency in your life and if you’ve struggled with it in the past, what are you willing to do differently?
Quote of the week:
“I pray to be like the ocean, with soft currents, maybe waves at time. More and more, I want the consistency rather than the highs and lows.”
— Drew Barrymore
With ♡ and gratitude,
Jennifer