My *Ideal* Routine

Here is how I fit my creativity practice into my morning routine, in an ideal world.  Even without kids and work right now, it almost never actually happens like this, but this is what I strive for every day.

I try to get up around 6:30am, shortly after my hubs.  Otherwise, in the summer, I will revert to a 2am - 10am sleep schedule, which isn't always very productive. That doesn't mean naps don't happen.

1.  Still-in-bed yoga:  I like to start with a few poses to stretch and practice mindful breathing, like child's pose, seated stretch, cat and cow.  Nothing major here and probably only 5-10 minutes.

2.  Morning walk:  I do this first and early in the summer because I prefer to walk outside but it gets hot and humid quick here.  I do have a treadmill for days I can't get moving early enough or if the weather is bad.  I typically do 1.5 - 2 miles.

3.  First breakfast:  I am like a Hobbit.  At this point, I am hungry but I prefer to wait for breakfast until I am done my morning routine.  If I am VERY hungry when I get up, I will eat before I walk.  First breakfast is usually a banana, sometimes with PB, a yogurt, or some other fruit.

4.  More yoga:  Here I will do 20-30 minutes of yoga.  I like Body Positive Yoga and Curvy Yoga so check them out.   My favorite poses now are Pigeon and Garland.  I mix up routines daily.

5.  Meditation - 10-15 minutes.  Sometimes I fold this into my yoga practice.

6.  Creativity Challenge - whatever that may be for the day.

7.  Reading - Something, anything, (that's not facebook or pinterest) for at least 15 minutes. Currently reading Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick.

8.  Second breakfast - Something a little more substantial - usually an egg but I like picking at leftovers for breakfast, too.  May do this before or while reading.  If I am going to have coffee, I will do it here, but I am not a slave to coffee in the summer when I have time to do all of the above to energize myself.

I am a beach lover, and I travel to parent's house in Delaware a lot in the summer, plus there are appointments and weekends and baby kitties, so in many ways it is harder to keep a routine like this when I don't have a set schedule, but this is the ideal morning until school starts in September.