to ask what are your daily rituals? (if any)

[Fiveredbricks]

I'm trying to get myself back in to a much better headspace - I'm not doing so great right now due to some upheaval in friendships and my marriage not being at it's best, and was thinking on how I spend my day and what I can do to make it, I dunno, a much brighter, more comforting thing.

Beyond taking my vitamins and stuff I don't ever really do anything for 'me'. I don't even make myself a cup of tea anymore because it always goes cold :( (I blame the almost 2yr old running riot from 7am 😁)

I'm considering getting up at 5/6am from now on so I get an hour to do my own thing, whatever I decide that is.

Do you have any little things that make you happy that you do every day, or every few days?

Yes I get up early before anyone else and make myself a massive latte and chill with the cats.

When everyone is out I order Deliveroo and feel no guilt watching whatever I want in Netflix.

Get you hair cut, nails, massage, Botox?

Haircut, nails, massage or botox aren't really things I'd ever do, let alone as a daily occurence 😁

You never get your hair cut?

Calm app?

I like to start the day with a latte and a crossword, or a chapter of my book. It’s nice and peaceful!

The only thing that I have is a ritual is Dp bringing me a coffee and breakfast in bed while I'm on my iPad until everyone leaves the house.

You may think this sounds odd but get a note book and at the end of the day, write 3 things that you are grateful for/made you smile that day.
It’s a proven way to train your mind to see more positive things.
Could you get a thermal travel mug to put your tea in?

I've started properly washing my face twice a day and it feels quite luxurious. I have to clean my face anyway, so I've made it a little fifteen minute routine with nice products. I've started to find it wakes me up in the morning and feel more ready for bed at night.

Every morning I spend about an hour drinking coffee and reading (off my phone usually) whilst the DCs start to wake up and demand TV/nappy change/milk/food depending on age. The best days I get the whole hour to myself, but mostly they know not to disturb me until I've finished my coffee and started getting the breakfast things ready.

This worked best before kids or when it was just DC1 and I would spend the first hour of my day watching recorded TV programmes and breastfeeding. It's getting harder to preserve my morning time, but I really struggle without it. I have gradually started going to bed earlier and earlier and getting up earlier and earlier to have my time. It's worth preserving.

A nice coffee first thing, preferably in the garden, is super important for me. I've recently become interested in decorating and plants (random I know) so I have decorated and planted some seeds over the last few months.
Reading a book, learning to meditate, eating nutritious foods. These are some of the things I'm trying to do daily to help maintain good mental health

• Cup of strong tea to start my day, preferably with a biscuit! Often accompanied with reading some AIBU threads
• I like to wash my feet when I come back from work - it makes me feel ready to relax, having been in boots/shoes all day! (I live in a hot climate so it's really refreshing)
• Cup of tea when I get back from work (tea addict...). More Mumsnet
• I enjoy brushing my hair just before heading to bed, sometimes I'll put some serum on the ends to make it feel soft and smell nice the next day.
• I do a quick whip-around tidying up before I go to sleep, and will sit in the tidy living room for 5-10mins enjoying it before it gets messy again the next day!

I used to have really bad insomnia, but I did quite enjoy being awake at 4am when no-one else was and having quiet moments in the living room, sipping a hot drink, and reading.

I still naturally wake up around 4am (but now have the ability to roll over and immediately fall back asleep!) but now and again around 4am I'll wander over to the living room and enjoy the peace before heading back to bed. If you're having enough rest in general, some version of this may work for you?

Have 20 mins with a cuppa and online news before the morning school run.
An hour after work before hometime school run.
I'm lucky I know.

The hour after work consists of mumsnetting usually when I should be doing other things

A cup of tea, with cat on my lap or sitting next to me after his breakfast before I start on the chores.

A bath in the evening, cat sitting at the side.

Some time on the sofa alone with the TV after bedtime, cat on lap so I can't get up until he moves to his own bed.

A cat is useful for enforced peaceful times.

@DerrenBrownings yes but it's not something I'd ever find relaxing. I tend to cut it myself as it's a pixie cut/half shaved most of the time and easily maintained with some knowhow and my scissors/clippers ☺️

Following with interest - I work from home and have got into a bad habit of just starting at the computer when I get up and want to put a routine in place beforehand to give myself some time for ke

I wake up before my DC so I can make tea, bring it back to bed and watch the breakfast news. Then have a shower in peace.

@MyKingdomForACaramel I've just ordered a cheap-ish (£13) productivity journal on Amazon to help me with it. As I'm sort of losing the will to live (mentally) without some kind of structure and plan in place right now.

I like to take a coffee out into the garden first thing and just stand and breathe while the dog does his morning potter/pee. Sometimes I'll do a half arsed attempt at some Pilates type stretches but more often I'll just listen to the birds/look at the sky/ignore the ever running list of to-do's in my head for 10 mins. If the weather is bad I will lurk in the utility room instead

I found something fairly recently called the SAVERS morning routine. Makes me feel 100% better for the whole day. Hopefully photo has attached but it's to start the day with silence (I do a 3 minute Headspace), affirmations to yourself, visualisation of yourself achieving what you want to that day, exercise (I do some light stretches whilst the kettle is boiling), reading (I do 5 mins of reading about an inspirational person, normally authors), and scribing - so I'll spend 5 minutes writing. It's AMAZING.

Also, I always go on about this but it makes such a massive difference - choosing one main focus each day. It can be anything, from making sure I exercise, to submitting my meter readings, to sending back a school slip. That's the ONLY thing I want to achieve that day. And it works, I invariably get things done and I don't have loads of crap floating round my head or go to bed feeling down on myself if I haven't done more. Because I've always (normally!) achieved that one daily focus task.

Wake up an hour before DC and get a shower, do some stretches and yoga and then have a brew & biscuit

I follow a skincare routine and take care of my hair, nails etc.

I take one night out a week to have a bath, watch soaps on the iPad and have a few glasses of Prosecco withbsnacks.

I try to visit family and friends 3-5 times a week. Even if it's just a half hour visit.

I always clean up from the day so I can wake up the next morning to a fresh house. If I wake up to yesterday's mess it sets the day off to a negative start.

I can relate to this OP

and none of those things are things I do either - I've been known to cut my own hair, or mum or sister do the back and I do a front layer.

anyway....I am starting to take a bit of time in the evening to look at some nice pictures I have in my flat. It's a small flat, but I have bought some nice prints and also have a wall of nice garden pics I cut from a magazine.

I also posted this in mental health and got one suggestion, haven't ordered it yet though

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feeling_depressed/3582311-Mental-health-workbook-or-notebook-etc

I walk the dog twice a day - and I am a very, very messy person and have started a cleaning rota - I know it sounds boring but following the cleaning rota whilst listening to a podcast or two has actually massively added to my sense of control and productivity.

Face mask and some relaxing sounds on YouTube to listen to, makes a big difference when I feel stressed
Netflix and endless cups of tea (or wine if it’s an acceptable day and time )
Reading
Cleaning - actually quite therapeutic if you enjoy it
Spa day with a friend for a massage
My sister swears by an evening sitting outside in the silence with the darkness and stars for company
Hope things improve for you soon op

@AnnieMay100 I would love that, sadly my yard wont be habitable until next year when I've managed to get a better income. Or win £3k on the lottery 😁 I have planned it all though and it will one day be my happy place ☺️