For years, this little ritual has saved my bacon. And surprisingly, it has nothing to do with food. 🥓
When my kids were little, I changed my shower routine. Instead of showering just before bed, I started showering somewhere between 4 and 7 pm.
It sounds like a small thing, but it made a surprising difference.
Rather than squeezing in one more task at the end of an already long day, I started enjoying my shower. And then I changed something else.
I started showering by candlelight. 🕯️
At first, I noticed how much calmer I felt. I wasn’t thinking about everything I still needed to do before bed, and the usual mental to-do list just …. disappeared.
Then, I began dimming or switching off the other lights in the house, extending that peaceful feeling beyond the bathroom. Dinner was prepared without urgency or stress, overall noise in the house lowered, and our evenings became simple. Pleasant.
It’s an easy ritual I’ve maintained for years.
And, my house is still the most peaceful during these hours, which means bedtime routines are easier, my body is relaxed earlier and in turn ready for bed at an appropriate hour …. and my evenings are not hijacked by the need to squeeze one more thing in.
Of course, candlelight isn’t a magic fix for a busy household. But it has reminded me that sometimes, a small change to an ordinary routine can make a meaningful difference to how we feel.
A little mindfulness in your everyday life
Mindfulness doesn’t always require a meditation cushion, a yoga mat or setting aside twenty minutes of your day.
Often, it’s simply paying attention to how you move through your day and making space to slow down.
You might try bringing your shower forward, dimming the lights in the evening, or choosing one everyday activity to do without rushing.
Notice what changes.
You might find, as I did, that you don’t need to overhaul your life to create a little more calm. You might just need to do some things a little differently.
Give it go. You might be surprised at the difference it can make.
With Love,
Lori
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