ROUTINE ——> It’s a funny word in the Cotter House. You see, we rarely have a SET routine. It changes all the time. If something works, we stick with it, if it doesn’t then Buh-bye. And how do we know if it works? We see results in the way we LIVE with and for each other.
A Year ago I was in a routine that looked productive, but in reality it was destructive
Teaching classes almost everyday, running 30 plus miles a week, trying to expand a business (Healthy Bites) while still juggling nutrition work, “trying” to take care of a professional athlete (hubs), stressing over everything, and ignoring certain health symptoms yet again.
This is when we decided to that New Zealand would be GOOD for both of us. Time away from it all, mental rest, and hopefully some good healing.
Being in New Zealand did help us focus on that. It helped us realize that we were in need of a new routine. One we felt GOOD about. One that BALANCED each other out. One that STUCK with us, even when coming back to the states.
This is us, just 1 hour after landing back in the States.
Jet lagged faces and all.
In New Zealand we…..
-
didn’t create unnecessary busyness
-
Spent time together without phones, computers, other distractions
-
We budgeted so finances were not a stress
-
We didn’t feel guilty about resting MORE
In New Zealand I……
-
I learned to “UN”-routine in order to create a better “US” routine
-
I started to finally slow down my pace of life
-
I learned to enjoy walking/hiking instead of running
It’s crazy how much an environment change can impact you so much.
And I am so glad it did.
Now we are working on replacing our old routine at home with our new NEW ZEALAND routine.
To say it has been easy would be lying. It’s not. Life is so much faster here.
BUT….
We realize that working toward that goal is even more CRUCIAL than before.
My thirty Minute Thursday looks a little different this week. In fact, it might look a little different for a while. High Intensity workouts will for sure return, but for now I will be focusing on 30 minutes of “Good for YOU” routines. A break from the OLD Routine. 
15 Minutes in the morning
Stretch while the coffee is brewing
Keep your phone and computer off
Go for a walk with no iPhone
Sit and eat breakfast at a table….SLOWLY
15 Minutes in the Evening
Relax
Have a cup of tea
Cuddle with loved ones (fur children included)
Call a friend
Read a book, devotional, etc.
Be a BUM
Create a routine that’s not TOO ROUTINE.
Do you have a “Good to YOU” routine?
Cheers,
LC
p.s.
Don’t forget to enter the HEALTHY BITES giveaway. Winner picked this weekend!
Life first… LOVE this!
Soooooo important to regroup, re/un focus, and be purposeful about our actions. I too have been unplugging, slowing down, etc. It’s odd, I went out for a “wog/workout” the other day, and instead, turned on my “cooldown” mix. It was SOOOOOO lovely – just to walk, breathe, and take in the lovely afternoon. Welcome home!!!! xoxo
those are the best moments too. When you can be calm and collected and just enjoy the walk. YES!
Oh, I hear you!
Today I sat at school in my comfy chair at lunch and called my hub for 20 minutes because I had everything done til June (practically). I just enjoyed the rocking motion and I felt so much better… 🙂
The other day hub and I went for a “run” and it turned into a wildflower hike. Too fun! We sat on a bench and chatted. He asked me if I wanted to run, and I said, “nope. I’m want to soak in the sun, warmth, colors, and shapes.” He said, “okay!” and so we did.
Sometimes you just need to slow down and/or balance. 🙂
those are the best hikes, when the sun is on your back and you can go slow enough to walk and talk. Bliss!
I think I’m still learning what a healthy routine is – but I think I’ll start by learning to sleep in again!
sleep and rest friend. you deserve it. In fact, you deserve a lot!
i just returned from a trip to new zealand while visiting my brother who is living there for a year. you are super right that it is much slower paced than the states. we hiked mountains and i felt awesome. everyone was so nice and life was just more carefree…. more focused on the now, not the future. such a difference. i was only there for about 7 days but i want to keep some of my new zealand routine now that i’m back home. i LOVED this post. thank you.
oh lets go back!! we can enjoy the beautiful mountians and slowness together.
Good for you Lindz…knowing you personally I know how hard it can be for you to break old habits and slow down. You are such a “go go go” person and I am very proud of you for trying to just stop and breathe. 😉
Kelly, thank you for this. It means a lot because I know you know me. And I thank you for being a great inspiration.
xoxo
LOVE these routines, great reminders and I am trying to learn to slow down – you’re a great example to follow. 🙂
yes, and the hardest thing is being okay with not having a so much TO DO. best thing for us at times, yes?
Oh man… your OLD routine is my life right now. It scares me a bit. I need to follow your NEW routine in the worst way. Can you plese come here and coach me. 🙂 I’m giving you cyber hugs right now (in case you can’t see me).
Fly me out there now! i will do some good decompressing for you. hehe.
Love this, as usual 🙂 I am way too scheduled sometimes and it does certainly get so so stressful and it’s just unnecessary! Certain routines are completely awesome and crucial sometimes though, like you wrote above. My routine in the morning is my favorite thing ever! It gets me started for the day and in a good mood as well 🙂
it’s a constant balance check, agreed! But good that we can let go of over routine. ya know? Happy spring break Tessa!
girl I need to create a 15 minute new routine to relax in the evenings. I must start making more time for myself, but it is hard as I feel guilty when I am not doing some form of work, that is a goal of mine to get better at taking a break and de-stressing and relaxing, start doing something for me 🙂 and enjoy every minute of it!
i think that the hard part about being self employed, ya know? But that is also when you NEED it the most. So go for it friend! You deserve it.
Woman I cannot tell you how similar I am feeling to what you experienced before heading to NZ. I’m so proud of you and for learning, relaxing, and trying a new routine. I bet it was so REFRESHING! Happy “almost” Friday…xoxo
parallel lives I tell ya!
I’m “un-routine” right now in South Carolina! And I love it. Fresh air, sun, mountains…life is simple down south. And I love every minute of it. No one tries to run me off the road while I’m riding, they just wait till they can pass, give a wave and a g’mornin y’all. Love slowing things down when I’m down here. Nothing to do but eat, sleep and train. 🙂
yes!! and you deserve it.. You deserve a routine of fun and sunshine. Love you!
love you right back! p.s. can you email me you austin addy?? please and thank you!
LOVE THIS, I want to un-routine. Lindsay, I am so happy you were able to go to New Zealand. I don’t know HOW in the world you were able to juggle so many things before! I am really good at being a bum in the evenings ha!
i don’t know how you do it all. But I think your smile is what keeps you and billy calm and happy. It’s contagious and just oh so lovely! xoxo
Well, this resonated with me. 🙂 I’m in the throes of an awesome illness that has made me ask these same kinds of questions. I think staying chilled-out while also being goal oriented takes balance and wisdom, and it’s definitely a struggle! Have you thought about some meditation in the evening?
what going on friend? I haven’t heard from you in a while. Feel free to email me and vent. I like the idea of meditation, soothing, and calming. A great way to unwind until a good slumber. Healing even!
I’m glad you seem to be doing a lot of self-discovery and finding things that are beneficial to your relationship and life in general 🙂
Yes, we needed this! So glad we are figuring this out for the benefit of our marriage and each other. ya know?
I really love this post, Lindsay, and hope that every healthy living blogger gets a chance to read to read it. 🙂 Over the past few weeks I’ve realized that my “reality,” and what I perceive to be normal, is affected by the fast-paced lives of those whose blogs I read. I think we’re all very similar–highly motivated, health-conscious, and on a quest to be our best, which is wonderful. However, I think many of us share similar experiences in taking things a bit too far…pushing too much, exhausting ourselves unnecessarily. This is such a wonderful, inspiring reminder to slow down and savor the good things in life. Thank you, friend! <3
And I am SOOOOOO glad you left this comment. It brings all my thoughts to surface. Knowing that you agree gives me such comfort. Now… we just need you to come here and escape that busyness. I will help you rest. hehe.
xoxo
Ooh I love this idea girl! Especially “be a bum” for the 15 minutes in the evening haha Now that’s what I’m talkin about! 😉
Hope you have a glorious rest of the week m’dear!
its the best 15 minutes of the day, right? Plus it just feels natural.. hehe.
Lindsay – you ALWAYS inspire me. I think so often in our heart of hearts we know what we need to do, but we don’t do it. You did this amazing thing – you and James stepped away and gave yourselves a chance to discover the benefits of changing your focus. Taking it back into your “old” life is not easy but is going to be well, well worth it. Not to mention sharing it with all of us – I think we all need to hear this.
gosh Petra, i feel like you are my inspiration! I think it starting fresh has been key to us both this year, yes?
i love that you two put together a plan that worked for the both of you. you truly are a powerful team and it is so awesome that you have each other! here’s to slowing down, taking deep breaths, and truly stretching yourself beyond the limits of your comfort zone.
out of comfort zone for sure, but not the one I am used to. Its quite the opposite, like trying to do less to accomplish more. Ya know? how are YOU???? email me.
This sounds PERFECT. Love it. So much more beneficial for your emotional self, which in turn is better for your physical self,no? 🙂
agreed! emotional health and physical health go hand in hand.
p.s.
Guess who just bought Bakers unsweetened CHOCOLATE?!?! hehe
I’m looking forward to a time when I can do this!! Our month in Colorado seems like the perfect time!
oh yes! is this around blend retreat? maybe i can find a time to fly stand by and visit!
I love your “good to you” routine! I agree and think it’s so hard to really slow down here unless we FORCE ourselves too and actually make that part of our plan/add it in our schedule. After living in different countries/provinces that are MUCH (extremely) slower paced, I find I’ve had more culture shock returning to Canada and get so annoyed at our exessiveness and need for technology. I could go on and on about this topic… so I’ll stop lol
don’t stop, i can relate! and sometimes its good to vent. Vent to me ANYTIME!
Here’s to your new routine! I love it–such a good reminder AND example for building a marriage and focusing on making you healthy.
You are AWESOME!
it’s one of the healthiest thing we can do for each other, right?! Hope you are well friend. I always LOVE hearing from you.
I need to move to New Zealand. The End.
wanna come with us next year? ESCAPE!!
I have always dreamed of going…think my husband and kids would revolt at the thought of me leaving.. a girl can dream though, yes?.. confession: before kids and hubs I wandered around the world as much as could.. <3
My recent routine is to get everything done by a certain time (or stop working by a certain time), spend time outside, then sit on the couch and have a glass of wine…and do nothing and NOT feel guilty!
that sounds like a perfect routine to me. Wish we lived closer.
fabulous idea, I love it! I really need to take time to do those type of things
should and WILL, right melissa? xoxo
Oh my GOSH! I am so jealous. A 2 hour nap!!! Ha…I am tempted to put in some kid movies and doing the same 🙂 haha
oh the life of the triathlete.He calls these naps “meetings.” haha
Seriously in need of some routine unroutine. I think you start to miss out on opportunities when you are so rigid and so planned.
wanna unroutine in Dallas and go to lunch? hehe. I know you have been stressed with the foot/ankle but I think its a good time to find a different routine. ITS SO HARD I KNOW, but i bet you can create a good healing routine. Yes?
I can imagine how much busier life is here in the states than in New Zealand. Good for you to schedule some downtime and to make some written notes of how you were able to benefit while over there. Hiking sounds so fun!
Hope your transition is going easy!
I can’t wait to watch your movie now 🙂
working on it 😉 realized i had gotten into a bad routine recently, working on resetting myself! thank you 🙂
reset button is awesome. Go for it!
This makes me want to go somewhere and reconnect with my husband so bad. We have fallen into a bad routine, and often let our busy schedules get the best of us. It’s a shame when we’re both so consumed with stress that we let it get in the way of our “us” time. This is something that I really want to work on. We are always so happy when we’re on vacation – especially when we go to Colorado and are out in the mountains all day every day with no distractions. I find that now we are both so tired at the end of the night that it’s easy to just sit on the couch and watch tv and not talk to each other. And we’re both usually surfing our iPads at the same time.
I needed to read this post as a reminder. It can always be better- you just have to get back to your roots!
i think you should quite your job and go to austraila!! okay i know, its not the best plan but how COOOOOOL!!!! my heart says go for it.
I LOVE this 30 minute routine!! That is perfect and we all need to do this more often, at LEAST a few times a week if not everyday. I am so glad that your trip to NZ was all it was meant to be and then some. It sounds like it was so life-changing in almost every way possible. ALL for the best!
you and jess have been great “disconnecting” role models. I love you for that! Keep focusing on the now and sharing!
I love this.
So so trite yet what works for me is to ask myself if on my deathbed I would care.
Would I fret about my klout score?
Would I care about my blog traffic?
Would I mind my daughter remembers me as ALWAYS DISTRACTED and online and never looking her in the eye?
Would I want to be famous?
Do I care if I win a magazine blogger award?
Would I regret the demise of my marriage because I put everything before him?
Will I wish I’d had more calm, peace and sollitude?
xoxo
best question ever! Something we should ask ourselves EACH and EVERY day!
xoxo
Seriously! Spending time together without being glued to tv, iphones or computers can be tough! We are trying to be better about that one, too.
oh meg, do i need to come hide your phone? I can! hehe.
Amen! I know that I try and do too much exercise-wise and fit in extra things I don’t need when I can, but my favorite time of day is around 8pm when I have my tea (again) and my computer on the couch and just read. Work is done, workout is done and it’s just me, my tea and reading/writing.
Yes, I’m plugged in, but it’s only one thing for me to focus on and it helps me to unwind. (I also do some of those things up above, but this is something extra.) Great reminder! 🙂
I hope this comment finds you sitting on your couch, with your tea, and just unwinding! I am doing the same…. plus I have a pillow under my feet. Cheers to bummin!
xoxo
LOVE!! This is how our lives are meant to be lived – ENJOYED not RUSHED. LIVED not HURRIED through. I love where you are in your journey Linds, right where you’re meant to be. It’s a beautiful thing.
yes, while we have slow time, we should enjoy it. Cause lets face it, it only gets faster from here. right? 🙂
the idea of going for a walk without my iphone gives me aggita. That is probably a bad sign. I am wound so tight on some days I could bust. Thanks for the reminder!
girrrrrllllll! you need to chunk that phone. It’s freeing!
What great thoughts, friend! I know how it is to be gone and away for a chunk of time, establishing a new routine (or un-routine as is often the case), and then struggling to add in into your old routine…felt that way after we worked on a boat in the Caribbean for a few months. Life was so much simpler, there were no phones, internet was only occasional, and getting back into life in North America was rough. There’s work (we do need money to live! I struggle with this all the time), responsibilities, priorities to balance, people to see…Thank you for the encouragement to rest, relax, and be a bum at times. 🙂 Loved the video of James and the pup – and love YOU!
i know there is a season of rest, and i think this is it. Even though we fight it at times, ya know? Your season is busy right now but totally a good busy! I can see it.
xxoo
go for a walk with no Iphone? but then you can’t blog about every leaf you see, every thought you have, every step you take! you can’t tweet your way through your walk! won’t the fitness bloggers ostracize you?!! dangerous line lindz dangerous line you walk here 😉
oh i can’t wait to walk with you later now. haha.