Routines. Coming from the perspective of an anxious girl trying her best to navigate her 20s, my daily routines are staple parts of my life that help to keep me grounded.
During those days where my Google Calendar ends up looking a little too colorful for comfort, and I can’t seem to find a single moment in my schedule to take a breath, I rely heavily on three specific rituals to set my day up for success.
Starting at the beginning, my daily routine begins from the very moment that I wake up. After turning off my alarm—and potentially snoozing one… or three times—and running through my morning skincare, I immediately take a couple of seconds to make my bed.
While seemingly unimportant, as someone who had always scoffed at the supposed life changing habit of making my bed, I am here to admit that it is in fact worth the hype. Oddly enough the simple, repetitive motion of pulling up my covers, fluffing my pillows, and arranging my beloved stuffed animals just so has helped me to start each day with a positive mindset. Even if I am two weeks behind on lectures and running on four hours of sleep, at the very least, I made my bed, and just like that I can begin my day with one thing checked off my to-do list.
They say that having a clean space leads to having a clear mind, and I couldn’t agree more! Plus, getting into a nicely made bed at the end of the day somehow makes it feels ten times comfier.
Moving on to the next portion of my morning routine, I have always been a strong proponent of the phrase “Look good, feel good”. Thus, while seemingly superficial, I always do my best to set aside some time in the morning so that I can take my time to slowly wake up and get ready.
Putting on my favorite comfort shows such as Gilmore Girls or Gossip Girl in the background, I take a seat at my desk each morning to do my makeup. Even on the busiest of days, I have noticed that carving out a small chunk of my day to swipe on some mascara, or tap on a bit of liquid blush can make a huge impact on my confidence and mood for the day.
Following my makeup by lightly curling my hair, and choosing a cute outfit, waking up just a tiny bit earlier to get ready allows me to reclaim a portion of my busy schedule and some take time for myself.
Finally, arguably my favorite part of my morning routine centers around that of my daily hot matcha latte. There is something that is so therapeutic and calming about the smell and motion of whisking matcha.
Sweetening my steamed milk with agave, and pouring in my beautifully dark green matcha, this morning sweet treat is my version of a morning coffee.
For me, slowly sipping on my matcha latte is a moment of peace and tranquility—the calm before the storm, if you will—as I prepare to head out into the world.
Ultimately, college is hard, and it can be even harder to find a moment for yourself amidst all the chaos! While it takes a bit more effort to set aside some time to carry out my morning routine to its fullest extent, I do it anyway, as I believe in the importance of investing and caring for yourself.
When everything else in my life is filled with uncertainty, I know that I can at least count on the three M’s of my morning routine to set me up to be the most confident and happy version of myself.