Tamara Y. (Williams) Conaway

How is your day going?

I am trying to live mine with intention. I woke up this morning and paused for a moment, being mindful not to just jump out of bed and run to the tasks at hand. Instead, I paused and said a prayer. I thought about a few things and simply stayed present. This has become my wake-up ritual—never rushing unless I oversleep.

I also have other rituals that are just about me—things not connected to my duties as a mother or responsibilities to my job or family. It’s the act of putting myself first by creating small daily rituals, starting with my morning pause. Sometimes I stretch or do specific movements. It is time I give to myself first thing when I wake up.

My next ritual is coffee, tea, tonic, and lunch prep. Each morning, I prepare a fresh meal for lunch. I could make it the night before, but I love the ritual of making it fresh. It’s a “me thing.” I get excited about my midday meal—it sets the tone for my day. For example, today I went to my garden, picked fresh produce, came inside, diced it up, and created the most amazing lunch for my workday break. The love I put into these meals sends a message to myself: I love you. You are important. You deserve the best.

I always have several tasks that need to be addressed. I try to pick one each day to conquer. I never let them pile up so much that I can’t get them done in a reasonable amount of time; but at the same time, I don’t let them take all of my time either. They get a little attention each day, depending on my mood. What I feel like doing often depends on the weather, my moon cycle, or circumstances in life that are beyond my control. In other words, I don’t let myself get overwhelmed by life’s must-do tasks.

My evening rituals are set as well. I set time aside each day to decompress. Sometimes it’s a movie with popcorn, a glass of wine with an old friend, a conversation with a neighbor, or a dinner date with my love. Other times, it’s simply me sitting alone—in the tub or in my sitting room—quietly doing nothing but being present.

On Saturdays, I go to the coffee shop with my youngest to scrapbook. Afterward, we head to thrift shops to find hidden treasures. Life is sweeter when you have slow and purposeful rituals. I will continue to weave them into my busy life.

My next ritual will be stopping to smell the roses (or whatever flowers I like)—fresh from the garden or bought weekly. It will be something I do regularly, simply for my own pleasure.

What rituals will you implement? How will you show up for yourself? Give some time to you, and create daily rituals that make you happy. You deserve it!