In the summer, it is eaier for me to be mindful. I wake up and ease into a 10 minute meditation. I don’t have to rush to take my AG 1 and supplements and I can grab a matcha at the Starbucks of my choice. As a teacher, the summer break provides an opportunity to recharge, to attend mid-day yoga classes and to actually finish an entire 30-minute Peleton session without having to skip out early to drive my kids somewhere.

Any type of vacation makes it easier for me to be mindful. This year we plan to spend a week on Nantucket. All four of us (make that five with Cleo too) will have a whole week of quality family time. I will be able to listen to my guided mediations and partake in yoga flows at my leisure.

With that being said, and with August quickly approaching, I have to admit that during the back-to-school frenzy, I am not very mindful. Now, I wish I could say that because I know it’s a difficult time for me, I am proactive about getting my mindfulness practice in so I can avoid the expected anxiety spiral; But that’s not true. Instead, I obssess over that fact that I’m starting to get stressed and I let it put me in full shutdown mode. I then start getting mad at myself that I haven’t meditated or gone to yoga in weeks. And then I start telling myself that I have “too much to do” to practice mindfulness even though I know how good it is for me.

I’ve done a lot of inner wotk to try to figure out why I lie to myself like this. Why do I convince myself that something is okay even when I know in my heart it isn’t? And worst of all, why do I let myself repeat toxic cycles instead of making an effort to be good to myself? The answer lies somewhere between societal norms and genetics, but I know the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing and expecting a different result, and yet I still find myself in the same end-of-summer holding pattern each year.

This is why I blog. If I keep writing about the things that matter to me. If I make a commitment to sharing the importance of mindfulness with others, maybe I will slowly start to change the pattern. So, my number one ritual is to journal and/or blog everyday.

The next most important ritual for me is a daily meditation. Usually I listen to a guided meditation (Aditi Shah from Peleton is my current favorite) or I listen to one from a podcast in my car. Meditation is the best way for me to get out of my own head. But it is importatnt to note that meditation is not the absence of thought, it;s the acknowledgement that they pop into your head and the ability to sit with them without going down a rabbit hole. Some days are better than others but every day I meditate, it feels worth it.

Another great ritual I’ve adopted is a two-for-oner. RIght before I hop in the shower, I simultaneously shake out stagnant energy and repeat an affirmation. These two actions really help me reset and prepare me for the day. I wake up with a crazy amount of anxiety and if I don’t do something to address it, it overpowers me. I really try to use my anxiety to motivtate me instead of deter me like it used to.

Lastly, a ritual that empowers me is talking to my dog Cleo. She has taught me so much about mindfulness. She makes her needs known, senses bad energy, and does a full body shake everytime she needs to reset. I always make sure I tell her how much she means to me. I also feel like she was sent to me from my mom so I give her a shout-out too.

So, those are my most empowering rituals. I’d love to hear what rituals you use to feel empowered so drop them in the comment section below!