It’s up to you to do the things that make you strong – oh how, Monday mornings often remind me of this.

Like today. I woke up feeling anxious, as I often do. A part of me resisted the anxiety with all its might, wanting to keep me hidden in the covers with “not agaaaain, I don’t want to feel this way” knocking in the back of my mind.

When I paused to sort through the feelings I noticed: sadness, reluctance, vulnerability, smallness, inadequacy, rawness, etc. NOT the best way to start the day.

It would be easy to stay in bed and skip my morning routine but I’ve done that plenty of times and not only does it not help much, but it creates other problems later on.

So, instead I began my routine by turning on the Cozy Acoustic Morning playlist and, while laying in bed with one hand on my belly and one on my heart, requesting support and tuning in to gratitude.

Then, I got up and took shower without rushing. I used a neti pot and gave myself a light oil massage of medicated oil that I made which has herbs to support grounding and strength. I added a few drops of Balance essential oil because it smells delightful.

Then I got dressed and went down to the kitchen to make my morning rejuvinatize tea, another blend I made from Ayurvedic herbs.

By this time, I’m feeling more grounded and alert, but still a bit down, so I change the music to something more upbeat (the Happy Beats playlist) and start my yoga. Noticing lots of pain in my back, I focused on loosening up and using yoga therapy balls to iron out the kinks. I ended in a short meditation.

The result of this long list of activities? I feel ready to go! Like I don’t need to work on managing my emotions and can have a productive day.

Thank goodness.

I share this to show that strength and resilience are something that are up to you to create. It doesn’t just happen.

It’s taken me years for my morning routine to evolve into what it is now, and it looks a little different every day. I can’t always self-care my way out of anxiety but by having a solid foundation of self-care activities I can support myself, no matter the result.

When you dedicate yourself to making YOU strong, it can take time out of your day. However, the strength you gain can help you to show up in your life more fully and from a more empowered place. Just that makes it worth it.

xo