I love to read other people’s manifestos or guidelines for good living and it’s surprising how similar people can be. It’s even more surprising how different we are from one another and I try to remind myself that what is important or even essential to me, may be completely irrelevant to someone else.
I am curious what works for others so in case you are too, here’s my list (with some notes). Some of these I have mentioned specifically because they are different from what my peers are doing.
This is an extension of my reflection post from the beginning of this year.
None of these are hard rules. I have learned I cannot consistently abide by rules so I try to keep it flexible. All doors are open, for now at least.
- Healthy rituals – morning and bedtime routines.
- Eat well – plenty of veg.
- Enough rest and sleep - Rest is a vague concept to me. I aim to read and walk and occasionally nap. What do you consider as a rest activity?
- A two drink alcohol limit - 3 or more on a special occasion. Or because I feel like it.
- In bed by pumpkin time, i.e. before midnight - If I get to bed late I feel it the next day. The reason why doesn’t seem to matter as much as the fact of the lateness.
- Reserve some quiet evenings at home.
- Limit TV time - I watch plenty of TV and yet I feel like I get very little out of it. Watching more TV or movies is not an ambition. It’s fun to see movies at the cinema and I enjoy getting together as a group to watch something good. More often it’s something I do when I am tired, ill, depressed or want company...
- Regular exercise to minimize stress and feel good.
- Go outside every day; rain is ok.
- Dressed well and good hair. Good hair is extremely important!
- A clean, pretty, uncluttered home.
- Ask the question – it is always better to know.
- Be prepared.
- Making, progressing, learning, planning, reflecting, processing - This is ongoing and it is hard. Not gonna lie.
- If I am writing and talking I am ok.
- Affirmations - I read myself affirmations out loud more or less daily. Sometimes they are tailored to a specific issue or they are just generally positive. If I stop this practice I start to feel really bad, really fast. It takes maybe 2 minutes per day and the benefits are huge.
What kind of guidelines are you living by? Does the idea of even having guidelines turn you off? Do you have secret guidelines or rituals that you’ve never shared? Please do share, if you will.
Kim
Co-founder, The Clean Sheet