Summary
At Daily Flow, my mission is to help people establish their own personal daily mindfulness practice. In this post, I dive into the how and why of creating a consistent routine that enhances well-being, manages stress, and fosters self-awareness. You’ll discover practical tips to find your “why,” integrate mindfulness into your daily habits, and stay committed to your practice.
I also share insights on trying new approaches, evaluating progress, and finding supportive communities. Whether you’re new to mindfulness or looking to deepen your practice, these actionable steps will help you build a foundation for long-term success. Sign up for my free “Six Days to Mindfulness” course for more in-depth guidance.
When I named this website “Daily Flow,” it was with the commitment to help people create their own personal daily practice. I’ve talked a lot — in these posts and in my videos — about this, but I realized recently that I never talked much about how to do that, why it’s important, and what it should include.
The idea of a daily mindfulness practice is appealing to a lot of people, but getting started can be ominous.
1. What’s Your Why?
I imagine you’re here because something is “off.” Maybe you’re hoping to manage stress and anxiety. Maybe you’ve got some nagging aches and pains. Or maybe you’ve tried some kind of “system” in the past, and it just hasn’t worked for you.
So take a few minutes (right now is as good a time as any) to grab your phone, a journal or a notepad and just jot down a few things you’d like to shift. Anxiety got you down? Stress? Do you just feel a little untethered and adrift? If you can name it, you can address it.
In my new Six Days to Mindfulness course, you’ll jump start your practice by unlocking your “why.” I’ll share with you some tips for how to address the most common barriers-to-beginning I see.
2. Start Where You Are
What do you do every day? You brush your teeth. You make coffee. You eat breakfast. You go to work. By identifying the things you already do every day at specific times, you can “ritualize” them. Simply by adjusting your thinking around your routine, you will instantly feel more grounded.
You don’t need to get up an hour early to meditate every day. If it takes you an hour to get ready in the morning, that entire hour can be your practice. If that seems daunting (it would to me), just pick one thing.
I’ll give you more specific tips in the course, so be sure to sign up!
3. Try Something New
What you’ve been doing isn’t working for you. It doesn’t matter why, and there’s certainly no need to beat yourself up about it, but find something that feels organic to you. Sometimes going deeper is just a matter of a little shake-up. Five minutes spent stretching or journaling can shift the way you approach your entire day.
In the Six Day program, I’ll share my personal morning vinyasa practice, as well as other under-five-minute practices you can try while you look for your “forever practice.”
4. Schedule It
This one is maybe the most important.
Actually write in your calendar / datebook / planner / journal / refrigerator / bathroom mirror the time of day and duration for your daily practice. You can be flexible with this! My schedule is different every single day, but I have figured out how long my morning routine takes — including my daily practices — and I make sure I get up in time for that.
You’re not obligated to practice first thing in the morning, of course. You can set aside any time of day, and it needn’t be the same.
For some of us, rigidity is the enemy of consistency, so be as “strict” or fluid with yourself as you need!
5. Evaluate
How do you feel? Now that you’ve tried a few new things and are setting aside the time consistently, has anything begun to shift? If you’ve never had a consistent practice, you’ll likely start noticing a difference right away. Something, even if it’s not concrete, will feel different.
Try to label that feeling. Do your best to quantify the shift(s) you’re experiencing. Having strong intentions is one thing, but actually sticking with something is much easier if you’re feeling a difference. How does this relate back to your “why”? Is your why shifting?
6. Find Community
For a lot of us, this is the toughest piece. Your community needn’t be something formal. It can be as simple as finding a friend who shares some of your interests and checking in with one another at regular intervals. Or maybe there’s a class or instructor you really love. Make a friend there! Ask the teacher what other things they offer (for example, I am a member of a monthly book group that one of my teacher’s leads around A Course in Miracles).
You can do it here by signing up for emails and joining in when I offer classes, workshops or study groups. Or put together a group of friends and let me create a custom 12-week program for you.
Conclusion
The only thing your mindfulness practice has to be is consistent. To be clear, it doesn’t have to be unchanging. In fact, feel free to explore and evolve: take a class, go on a retreat, sign up for a book club.
Then keep the things you love and let the rest go without a second thought. Just keep showing up for yourself regularly. If you miss a day, so what? If you skip a week? So be it. Just come back … and keep coming back.
Does it all feel a little daunting? Start today by signing up for the Six Days to Mindfulness course and experience the difference a daily practice can make in your life! You’ll receive one email a day for six days and take each of these steps one by one.
Nothing that appears in this blog or on this website is intended to treat or diagnose any disorder, physical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.