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Get (Back) Into the Groove

For all the romantic notions about endless summer days spent lazing about, I find that as late August arrives, I’m looking around for the t-shirt that says “Over It.” But wait! You say. How can you be “over” relaxing fun times?! Aren’t we supposed to want that? Isn’t yoga about finding space, doing only what’s necessary, not blowing our circuits with too much thinking/doing/worrying/obsessing/freaking out?

Yes. 100% yes. Absolutely.

And yet. I feel the call to organize. Precisely because it helps me to stop obsessing and freaking out.

Maybe it’s the scent of fresh school supplies in the air. Or the recognition that my sleeping patterns have slowly been allowed to go haywire. I want some organization in my life, dammit! As humans, no matter how many or how few things we have on our plates at any given moment, we need a way to organize those things into a manageable flow of effort and peace. So that we have a sense of rhythm. So that we’re not just trying to hang with whatever gets thrown at us from one moment to the next, but instead have a sense of life being generally manageable.

This is where a routine comes in.

Here are some signs that maybe you could use one:

erratic sleep
feeling overstimulated or anxious
feeling irritable or short-tempered
poor digestion
a consistent lack of organization
feeling like the universe keeps gut-punching you out of nowhere
etc.

Listen, these things listed above happen to the best of us, especially when we’ve been in vacation mode, or are experiencing change (of season, of job, of relationship, what have you) and haven’t yet stepped into the oncoming wave of what life is now. I have, in fact, come to recognize this list as The August Experience.

So this year I’m determined to do something about it.

Here’s my August Rescue Kit:

establish a regular bedtime and wake-up time (yes, this is going to require an alarm. Grumble, grumble. IT WILL BE WORTH IT!)
plan meals a day or two ahead of time. Then eat them at regular times.
YOGA. BREATHING. Especially at night, when I tend to feel overstimulated and have trouble down-regulating my nervous system.

You’ll notice, this is not actually a big toolbox. That’s by design. ‘Cause the most important part of any routine is, you know, DOING IT. This is not about perfection; it’s about rhythm. Some beats will be a little syncopated, but an established rhythm gives you something to come back to when you stumble. I feel pretty invested in creating that for myself.

And I know all of us at Grassroots feel invested in supporting healthy routines for our students. Want support in establishing a great routine? Stop in! Call us or send an email () We’ve got a ton of great resources to offer, from group classes to private instruction, Ayurvedic consults, and Therapeutic Yoga for various needs. We’re here for you!

Thanks for reading; have a fantastic fall!
-Erin H/Grassroots Yoga