The greatest predicament of my life not too long ago? “Routine is boring, but don’t ask me to change anything!” If that sounds familiar, I hope this read helps you in some way.

Interestingly enough, adding structure and self-care into my daily routine transformed my chaotic, always-traveling self into a calm, still-traveling self.

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First things first — what are these habits that transformed my journey through life?

Simple: five golden habits.

1. Morning Rituals
2. Daily Goals
3. Meditation
4. Communication
5. Nighttime Routine

Okay but how did these changes improve my life?

Again, simple:

1. Depression to Expression
2. Sickie to Healthy
3. Sleepless to Painless
4. Lonely to Homely
5. Autistic yet Productive

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Here is the scoop on my daily habits that actually is not all that hard to maintain once we had it going.

Daily Habits.

1. Morning Rituals:
   • My day kicks off with a skincare routine that’s as rigid as it gets — antioxidant, treatment serum, and SPF.
   • Then it’s four eggs, one toast, and a tomato for breakfast. Same thing, every day. It’s like clockwork, and I love it.
   • Five minutes to pray with the husband.
   • Adult-love time (yes, every morning) and we’re off to our respective workspaces at home..
2. Daily Goals: The rest of the day is only about
   • hitting my protein targets and
   • chugging down two liters of water. Non-negotiable, and trust me, it’s a game-changer.
3. Meditation: Just five minutes of focused meditation a couple of times during work hours. It’s all it takes to reset and recharge.
4. Communication: My husband and I carve out at least an hour every day to reconnect. We dive into deep conversations, opening up about every aspect of our day.
5. Nighttime Routine:
   • The day wraps up with a downing some vitamins (no compromise)
   • Nightly skincare ritual — cleanse, exfoliate or retinol (depending on the day), and moisturize.
   • Finishing off with a quick night time prayer. It’s like hitting the reset button before bed.

Life Improvements

Believe me when I tell you, life was chaotic. Let me show you how chaotic exactly and what life is like now.

1. Depression to Expression

My journey from clinical depression, ADHD, and eventually being diagnosed with autism was tough. Before I had a solid routine, my mind was cluttered, and expressing my emotions was nearly impossible. Now, with a structured daily routine, I have the stability I need to declutter my mind. This structure has not only set me up for better days but also allowed me to end each day with positive momentum. The routine has made articulating my needs and emotions second nature. No longer do I feel triggered by PTSD symptoms, and I’ve learned not to run away from my feelings but to find the right words to express them.

2. Sickie to Healthy

I was always sick, diagnosed with various health issues—hormonal, physical, and even terminal. But now, I’m in the best health I’ve been in since I was 14 years old. The improvement in my mental health played a big role in this, as my routine helps reduce stress and ensures I understand what my body physically needs. The energy I’ve gained from these changes is remarkable.

3. Sleepless to Painless

As a lifelong insomniac, sleep was a struggle, compounded by chronic pain and relentless nightmares. But with my new habits, I now sleep like a baby. The chronic pains have lessened, and I’ve learned to deal with nightmares through communication. I no longer need to distract myself or binge-watch TV to fall asleep. These habit changes have truly transformed my sleepless nights.

4. Lonely to Homely

Traveling the world alone taught me the deep ache of loneliness. But these habits, along with a few pivotal decisions, have led to a wholesome, homely life. Now, I still travel the world, but I carry my home with me. The structure provided by these habits acts as my fallback, a sense of home that I can always rely on.

5. Autistic yet Productive

Before my diagnosis, I struggled without understanding why. Learning about my autism and ADHD allowed me to make simple yet life-changing adjustments. These changes have completed me, giving me the energy I need for my clients in therapy, my writing, my husband, cooking, and even gaming. My routine is the key to balancing my life and staying productive.

If you read all the way through, thank you and I hope you found some sort of hope, comfort or something that you can take away. Life can be chaotic but with a bit of patience and loads of consistency, it can transform itself to the calm you need.

I truly wish you good luck.