My daily routine has been out of sync ever since my kids finished school for the year. Despite the beginning and end of the previous sentence being connected, I’m not placing blame on my kids. It falls on me for not adjusting my schedule ahead of time. It’s not like I didn’t see this coming. This happens every June.
Before the summer gets away from me, I am trying to right the ship. Writing every day is a crucial activity for me. It balances me mentally and emotionally. Without it, and other activities like walking, running, and meditation, I’m like a character from the “Hungry? Why wait?” Snickers bars commercials. I’m not myself.
Little things tend to throw my mood off kilter. That isn’t to say I’m some miserable person no one wants to be around. But writing daily reduces what I’ll refer to as a flare-up. Like meditation, writing creates a sort of rubber barrier around me. Instead of a moment of anger adhering to me, it bounces off.
I like that version of myself better, which is why I am mapping out a more optimal version of my day now that my kids are home. My family is my priority and always will be. But self-care, and for me that includes writing, allows me to be the best version of myself I can be.