So, this year has been one roller-coaster ride after the next. I sold my business, my family and I moved to Cape Town, I did a bit of travelling through Spain and France, I tried my hand in the real estate business (definitely not for me, I hated it), and now I’m back doing my own thing and helping Matt out with one of his new business ventures too. One of the most difficult things through this year and after moving has been for me to find a routine that works for me and that keeps me inspired every day.
Finding an inspiring routine is easier said than done
This sounds a lot easier than it is especially as I have never seen myself as a very routine kind of person. If there’s one thing I learnt about myself this year it’s that I am someone who loves routine. When I ran my studio I used to pride myself on the fact that I didn’t have much of a routine and I would do what suited me, when it suited me. But, I recently found out that I have been lying to myself for 7 years. I had a very rigid routine. I had set class times and exact times that my day would start and end.
Identifying the problem
When I moved to Cape Town and started trying to settle in I felt like something was missing. Actually, I have been rather down in the dumps. I then started going over things that I used to do back in Pretoria that I no longer do now to find out what was missing. One of the main things was “me-time” and the other exercise. Being at the studio I was active and standing at least 5 days a week and now I’m sitting for 5 days a week. This is a HUGE difference.
Finding the solution
So, I knew I needed to get active again but I just couldn’t make more time than dancing it out with my kids before bath time. Once I quit my J-O-B, this cleared up my schedule again. I’m finally feeling like I can exercise again, even though I don’t have much more free time. Actually, I have less free time. It’s just been a change in perspective. A mind-shift, if you will. So, I have taken up a Hip Hop class and started going to gym again (baby steps people – I’m going to rip open the packaging off my Pilates equipment soon enough).
Me-time is the next BIG change I found. So, I have tried to take more bubble baths and read more and create a beautiful space for just me (this is my desk at home and my dressing table). None of this worked, though. None of these things gave me that feeling of being content that I longed for so badly.
And then I realised. I miss writing. I miss documenting. And so, I am back at it. Operation get-my-life-back is well in motion. And, a big part of this is finding a routine which works for me. Now the tricky part comes in. I don’t just want a routine that works for me, I want a routine that will keep me inspired day-after-day and leave me wanting more. I never want to get bored.
Finding my “happy”
I am slowly finding ways to “cope”, ways to make my days “just right” or even “perfect”. And, I promise to share these with you as I go. In the meantime, I have been researching how to be happy (I’m not kidding). Here are things I have actually been doing this last month, which in turn all lead to me quitting my life-sucking J-O-B (best decision ever) and get my life back (next best decision ever).
- I started listening to Gretchen Rubin’s podcast Happier
- I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
- I started journaling
- I started a process of daily visualisation
- I decided I want to open a book and coffee shop
- I combined all 3 my websites into this one single new and improved brand
- I created my own hashtag, which you will see on all my posts #hustle&heart
- I started watching Gary Vaynerchuk videos again (oh, I’m so inspired)
Life is short. Life is too short to be doing something you hate every day. I decided, I will never do something every day that has no effect on my greater happiness again. Are you doing something that just doesn’t fit into your perfect life? I challenge you to stop today!
Leave a Reply