Seize the evening
On nighttime routines... or lack of them. 🙃
Hello and welcome to The Pause,
I am such a morning person.
I truly understood the concept for the first time when I took a trip to Paris with my best friend. We were still teenagers, and we rented a room in a scruffy hostel on the outskirts of the city, sharing a double bed so we could save most of our budget for museum tickets, croissants, and crêpes.
On the first morning, I woke up as usual: before sunrise, without an alarm, and ready to go. I rose excited, chipper, and very chatty, which was not appreciated by my travelling companion.
“Please, shut up, Laia,” she had grunted with as much kindness as she could muster. Astonished, I complied. 😅
I quickly learned that many people have no interest in engaging with others until they’ve had their breakfast or their coffee.
Totally fair.
Seize the day
I feel like in the wee hours of the day, everything is still possible.
It was figure skating that taught me to be up and ready at the crack of dawn from a young age; to seize the day (Carpe Diem).
I had practice before school, and competitions were often early in the morning, too. I was asked to perform at a top level not only on demand, but also at ungodly hours, so by habit and conditioning, I learned to like mornings.
The self-discipline I developed through skating also proved very helpful when, as an adult, I started a morning routine, a daily habit I’ve sustained almost uninterruptedly for years.
When it comes to the evening, however, that’s a different story. 🙃
I did skate at night regularly as well, but it only gave me the “gift” of being able to go to bed at any hour and still wake up bright and early.
I’ve tried for years to establish a proper evening routine that helps me wrap up the day, but I haven’t been successful at intentionally sticking to it as a habit for more than a few days.
I do have a before-bed routine, I guess: dinner, cleaning up, and then I plop myself on the couch to watch ONE Star Trek episode, only to wake up drooling on myself a while later. Then I brush my teeth and drag my sleepy, not-so-chipper ass straight to bed. 🫠
It’s definitely a routine, just not an intentional one.
Carpe Noctem
All the actions we take regularly, consistently, and repetitively are routines, so it’s important to pay attention.
As we enter this new month and my morning and creativity routines feel in the flow, the time has arrived to try once again to establish an evening habit; a more intentional way to end the day, even if for just a few weeks.
But how does one seize the evening instead of letting it dissolve into nothingness?
In the same way I make an intentional choice to stay away from screens first thing in the morning, I want to make better choices for my nights.
So, to get started, just like with any other habit I want to try and sustain, it is important to keep it short and flexible; otherwise, my chances of success are slim.
So this April, instead of watching TV and falling asleep on the couch, here are some evening routine ideas I want to try to help me close the day more intentionally:
Read one page of a book.
Make a short gratitude list.
Practice Abhyanga with sesame oil.
Do a few minutes of bed yoga.
Listen to relaxing music.
I will try one habit per evening, choosing according to how I feel each night, and documenting how these small evening habits make me feel. I’ll let you know the findings!
I truly hope that establishing a nighttime routine will help me feel more aligned and less moody and dishevelled by the time I get under the covers, as well as promote good, restful sleep.
Do you have morning and evening routines? Do you find one more challenging than the other? Feel free to share your favourite daily habits and tips to inspire other members of the community.
Thank you, as always, for reading The Pause. Your support means the world to me!
Until we meet again, pause often, breathe deeply, and be kind, especially to yourself.
Much love,
Laia. 💛