If each day is a gift, each action you take within those twenty-four hours is a chance to celebrate. From your morning meal to the moments before bed, looking at these seemingly mundane everyday moments in a new light can make way for profound change—everywhere from your digestive system to your state of mind.
We gathered some simple ways to elevate the everyday things you already do and create space for a renewed body, mind, and spirit. Are they small gestures? Maybe. But the cumulative effect is significant as the weeks pass and the gifts become a healthier gut, renewed energy, brighter skin, better rest and the assurance you’ve carved out space and time just for you. "Creating rituals that care for your body, mind, and spirit helps to reprogram your brain to believe in your own value,” says Sakara co-founder Whitney Tingle. “You deserve to be cared for. You deserve to feel good."
In the Morning…
In theory, a new day holds unlimited opportunity and promise. In reality, you’re juggling missed alarms, balancing schedules, and making sure everyone is fed and dressed. But tweaks to your a.m. rituals are possible and can poise you to face a long day with energy, grace, and wisdom.
Routine: First thing— Check Instagram
Ritual: Healing Lighting Ceremony
The smartphone digital beeps awake you from a slumber, and right after you hit snooze, you inevitably check email or scan your social channels to see what has happened while you slept. The trouble is this practice hijacks the morning and raises stress levels even before your feet hit the floor. Instead, try waking to some favorite music and pick up a piece of Palo Santo rather than the phone. The fragrant wood, with its sweet and woodsy notes, contains antioxidant-rich phytochemicals that have healing properties. Strike a match and light one end, allowing the scent to be released. As you move through your space, allowing your senses to awaken slowly and naturally, concentrate on the kind of energy you want to invite in and set an intention for your day.
Routine: Coffee for Breakfast
Ritual: Revel In The Day’s First Few Bites
It’s more than the old adage, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” There are physiological and spiritual benefits to a smart morning meal. Eating a nutrient-dense breakfast with a 1:1 ratio of fiber to sugar (included in each Sakara breakfast), regulates blood sugar to help you maintain steady energy and focus, promotes weight loss, and encourages a healthy microbiome. But what’s equally important is the joy factor. A meal that’s both nourishing and delicious turns breakfast into a bright spot at the very beginning of your day, giving you something to look forward to upon rising. Each meal you eat should be an act of self-love, nourishment and making good choices. Take the time to sit and enjoy your breakfast free from distraction, a luxury you may not have the rest of the day.
You deserve to be cared for. You deserve to feel good.
In the Afternoon…
The hours between noon and 5PM can seem to stretch on forever. And while a brief break from the action is recommended when energy and focus are lagging, too often the reality is a sugar craving or mindless distraction. But with small tweaks, you can turn those 20 minutes into newfound time for a ritual that leads to renewed health and wellbeing.
Routine: Coffee and Cookie Break
Ritual: Hydration and Hunger Deterrent
That 3PM slump is rough. Caffeine and refined sugar always sound like a great idea...until the crash hits. Simple carbohydrates, like cookies or candy, enter the bloodstream quickly, causing a sudden energy high. Then your pancreas kicks into gear and releases insulin to balance out your blood sugar. As your body clears the sugar in your blood, this leads to a crash—i.e. you’re cranky and your brain feels fried. Instead, swap out coffee for a natural, caffeine-free herbal tea like Sakara’s Detox Tea or make a metabolism-revving London Fog. You’ll still get to enjoy the ritual of a warm beverage, and it will help ensure you’re properly hydrated. Lack of hydration is often misread as actual hunger. If you do need something to munch on, choose low-glycemic fruits and vegetables like blueberries, apples, carrots, or celery, which won’t send your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride. Or reach for a handful of raw walnuts, which are satisfying and good for the heart and the brain.
Routine: Digital Shopping Session
Commute: Analog Meditation Moment
There’s no shame in the occasional online browse-and-buy session. Online shopping is nothing if not convenient, and finding that pair of boots you’ve been lusting after on sale in your size is enough to brighten anyone’s day. But too much time staring into the bottomless pit that is Internet shopping can leave you cold after a while, and the initial thrill of the impulse purchase can start to feel hollow. Rather than buying things “just because,” spend your midday break doing something that can reduce stress and improve emotional health and cognitive function, and keep you sharp for your late-afternoon meetings—meditation. There are numerous apps offering guided practices (try Ziva Meditation or Caravan Wellness), so it’s easy to find one that works for you. It’s also easier on your wallet than Net-A-Porter.
In the Evening…
This is a time to slow down. These hours are strictly yours, offering a chance for you to reconnect with yourself and your loved ones, allowing space for self-care, and setting you up for a restorative night of sleep. Embrace the gifts an evening at home can provide.
Routine: Grueling Gym Session
Ritual: Rest and Skin Recovery
Movement is essential to maintaining a healthy body and mind, and it can be a source of energy and happiness. But sometimes your body gives you clues that strenuous exercise is not what you need in the moment. Getting in touch with your body intelligence can help you strike the right balance between rest and motion so that you can make the most of your workouts (and fully enjoy them). The best athletes know that a day off can be as beneficial as a sweaty workout when it comes to your body and brain. Rest days are when your body repairs damaged tissues to build stronger muscles, when your circulatory system flushes soreness out of your muscle cells, and when glycogen stores, which provide energy for those tough workouts, are able to recharge. Enhance a good recovery session with an all-natural, skin-smoothing Probiotic Matcha Mask that will boost your glow.
Routine: Nod Off To Must-See TV
Ritual: Soothe To Slumber Better
A Netflix binge session can be a great escape from the worries of the day, which makes it a go-to method for disconnecting before hitting the pillow. But the blue light from electronics such as televisions, computers, and iPads can delay the onset of REM sleep and ultimately lead to morning drowsiness. Instead of tuning in and zoning out, draw a warm bath and include some muscle-soothing Epsom salts and a few drops of lavender oil. Not only will the fragrance soothe you in the moment, but it can also improve sleep quality. If you need something to occupy your mind as you soak, try a podcast, audio book, or low-key playlist. Next up: sweet dreams.
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