11/04/2025
My non-negotiable morning routine starts with a few essentials: quiet time, coffee, Charley time, and journaling. ☕🐾
I’ve been journaling for 23 years about five mornings a week and it's still one of my favorite self-care practices. It helps me stay grounded, notice my growth (and old patterns showing up) and remember/reflect on meaningful moments from the day before.
For many years, I followed Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages, three pages of longhand writing first thing in the morning, a great "brain dump" to clear the mind. I still write Morning Pages sometimes, but lately I’ve shifted to writing “Wins from Yesterday.”
Yesterday, for example, was tough when it got dark early. I was feeling lonely and sluggish, and there’s only so much Real Housewives of Salt Lake City a person can watch. 😅 Around 7:41pm, I laced up my sneakers and dragged myself to the gym, where I jumped on a small trampoline while blasting "Dance to the Music" by Sly and the Family Stone which shifted my mood completely. (Win)
I also had a nice phone chat with my dad yesterday, texted a friend I hadn't been in touch with in over a month, and the plumber came and fixed my leaky bathroom faucet....things all worth celebrating. (3 Wins)
Writing down these “wins” helps me feel a sense of progress, accomplishment, and gratitude, especially on the tougher days.
Do you have a journaling practice?
If the word journaling doesn’t resonate, write down three wins from yesterday. You may be surprised at how quickly the list grows and how it shifts the way you see your days. 💛
