This post is as much a reminder to me as a suggestion to anyone reading it.
      You see, I am trying mightily to get myself ‘right’ with the world. Striving to be the person I want to be, not the person circumstance has allowed me to end up. Which is not to say I’m not f*cking awesome, because dang it – I am! – but instead, to realize that there’s always room for improvement.
      I can’t recall where I found the original list, but I’ve expanded on it a bit to suit my life and my goals.
      So without further explanation or blather, here are Josie™’s Ten Essential Daily Rituals:

• Wake up, drink a glass of water.

      Post-sleep dehyrdration is a real phenomenon. Start off the day with water and instantly feel better.

• Love on your loved ones.

      Sex? Why not. But it doesn’t have to mean that. A good morning kiss to your S.O., a cuddle to the furry ones, a simple text message to say ‘Good Night!’ to your Mom half-way across the country. If you love someone – tell them or show them. Daily. This shouldn’t require reminding, but complacency happens…

• Sweat.

      Get off your duff and move. Sweat. Walk or jog or run or bike or f*ck or lift heavy things. Make that blood circulate, keep your hormones regulated (they tell me), your blood sugar down, your endorphins rushing. Make it a habit – even on rest days – to move more.

• Prioritize.

      Every day, make a list of three things you need to complete and prioritize them, then do them. I’m not saying, don’t sleep until they’re done – that’s silly and stressful. But definitely try.

• Gratitude.

      There are definitely a thousand things to be thankful for daily. Don’t save it for Thanksgiving, girl. Think of five things each morning to be grateful for – and thank God/the Universe/yourself/whatever for their presence in your life.

• Make time for reflection

      Five or ten minutes upon waking. Or maybe five or ten minutes before sleeping. It shouldn’t be too much to cram into your day and it is worth it. Pray or meditate, if that’s your thing. Consider your tasks and prioritize, find your gratitude, plan out your next novel or blog post, keep your mind blank and just enjoy the sound of your blood rushing around your veins. Quiet moments scheduled into your life can really help keep you sane.

• Eat!

      Haha – a no-brainer, right? But no. I don’t mean, cram your face until you explode, Josie. I mean – make a point of eating actual meals made out of actual food. Have greens, have lean protein, have healthy fats (♫♪♪♫ …avocados are for the winners!). And yes, indulge from time to time, but don’t live on empty carbs and junk. That’s why you are where you are, physically, Josie, and it is time to change that.

• Create.

      If you’re a writer, you gotta write. If you’re a painter, paint. Draw-er, draw. If you’re a potter, pot. If you’re a gardener, garden. Journal, blog, sing, dance, cook a meal, blow bubbles. Create something and your day will automatically be better.

• Before you sleep, give your brain some food.

      Not on a phone or a device, if you can avoid the blue light, but rather – a book or a magazine. I’d aim for something that isn’t likely to color dreams with blood and terror – but that’s just me. A few minutes of quiet reading time stimulates the imagination and keeps the brain active and alive even as we get older. Find a non-fiction subject that interests you, find a novel, explore a new genre, skim some trashy gossip rags if you like. Just keep that muscle working.

• Most importantly – Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself

      This is key for me. Yes, some days I won’t make my water goal or I’ll get too focused on writing to remember to take a long walk or I’ll eat country fried steak when we go out for breakfast when I know I should stick to a single scrambled egg and some veg.
      That’s okay.
      Pick yourself back up and keep moving. Don’t dwell on failures, just learn from them and grow. Stop trolling yourself – stop hating on yourself – stop failing to acknowledge that even when you SUCK, you’re fundamentally awesome and totally worthwhile.
      You’re a unicorn, a shooting star even!
      You rock.
      Tomorrow is another day.

      I can be very hard on myself – especially when I fail to reach a goal or stick to a plan. Beating myself up interminably just enables me to continue suckage, when I should be focused on improvement. Doing better next time. So I marked number ten as the key – the most important one.
      I am no guru, no expert, no life coach. Just a girl trying to live a better life. In small doses.
      Daily.
      Your mileage may vary.

Note: Image is “10 things…” by (me)