My Ideal Day

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I truly feel alignment is the spice of life. Aligning to my goals, hobbies, dreams, passions, career and community – as much as I can EVERYDAY. Of course there are days where what I want do is “align” to comfort (aka binge watch a series on Netflix!!) But by choosing alignment, I make a conscious decisions when it comes to to re-aligning or readjusting my day to handle priorities or new needs.

I recently did the daily habit score cards as outlined in Atomic Habits. What you need to do is write down every thing you do most days. Things like brush your teeth, drop your kids at school, read on the train, scroll IG while making a coffee, take a walk over lunch, meditate before bed are some of the habits that I would need to record. Even the habits you don’t think are important like snooze the alarm or set the alarm for the next day are recorded in this list of habits. Then I used a +, – or = to denote positive/beneficial habits, negative habits and neutral habits.

What this exercise did was help me visually see and recognize habits that weren’t helping me get to where I see myself in the future or on path to attain certain goals. It’s a helpful way to honestly look at and become more aware of your behaviour.

What it got me thinking about was, what my ideal day would consist of (ie: turn my habits into goals). It made me aware of what activities make me feel energized, bring me joy and what things I want to do to improve my everyday. What I saw was those activities were grouped into the following categories:

Growth (Professional, Personal and Spiritual)
Exercise/Eating healthy foods
Quality Family Time
Being prepared
Doing Work that I enjoy and is a priority for me
Having fun
Getting Enough Rest

So here is a snapshot of what I see as my ideal day:

Wake up (without an alarm!), meditate and journal (optimal journalling practice for me would be either a brain dump/artists way writing, combined with gratitude, goal setting and a to do list). Drink a bottle of water and then get dressed in my workout clothes and spend 15 minutes reading before the rest of the house wakes up. If it’s a Wednesday or a Weekend, I’d probably wear a facemark. When the kids wake up, I’d help them get ready for the day and we all head downstairs. The kids would have breakfast and after dropping them off at school I’d do my outdoor workout (tempo run through a forest, HIIT or heavy weight training). Getting back home, I’d drink water and have a healthy breakfast that I prepped the night before. I’d make tea and refill my water bottle and get to work where I contribute to and add value to peoples life with both a tech and human centric approach. I would schedule meetings for the afternoons because my most productive time is between 9am-2:30pm, I’d want to use that time to work, write, photograph, create, ideate, research, work on projects, strategize or consult. I would break for lunch (to eat something I prepped the night before with lots of veggies/fibre, fish or eggs and a complex carb with more water) and definitely take a leisurely stroll to energize and also digest the meal. I’d spend the remainder of my afternoon drinking more water and either in meetings, training or creating. Before picking up the kids, I would love to have a tea break or coffee chat with a colleague or business partner. After, picking the kids up from school, we’d have an afternoon snack and do homework or get to after school extra curricular activities. Dinner would be prepped or at least planned and we’d eat as a family. Before bed we’d hang out (go for a walk, bike ride or play a game or watch the WNBA game). After the kids are in bed, I’d prep for the next day before taking some me time to either study, stretch/foam roll, shower, netflix or blog. I’d end the date with a peppermint tea with a few pieces of dark chocolate or home-made cookies. Definitely would want to be in bed by 10:30 after brushing/flossing my teeth and taking time to spiritually self reflect.

Wow just writing that out was so relaxing. And of course things may come up where I’d have to adjust my attention to handle a priority but the hope is keeping my day as closely aligned to my main goal categories. Every small step would create a ripple effect towards my goals.

Practicing Self Care during Physical Distancing

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Bhanu Misra Marya

It’s been over 10 weeks since we started physically distancing.

Information is changing constantly and of course I am hopeful and I am also realistic. But I think I am extra sensitive these days.

Initially, it felt great having “extra time” but then life at home got busier with full time everything all the time!

Having to facilitate remote schooling, preparing wholesome learning activities, tutoring, all day child minding along with being a housekeeper, cook, partner. Mix in part time school and WFH – it literally left no time for anything else.

And then something clicked and I realized that this wasn’t going to be a sprint – but a marathon. I also realized I needed to re-adjust the action plan for the long haul.

The feeling of being extra sensitive comes and goes in waves – I’m trying to figure out what and when I’m triggered and remove those triggers from my immediate attention (I am sharing this in case others are feeling the same but also to share that this activity is part of the readjustment for the long haul).

So now I am taking it one day at a time, learning to relentlessly triage, give myself grace, slow down all while enjoying this special-unusual-new normal as much as I can.

I also remind myself of this:

happiness isn’t a destination
being positive is knowing things will get better even if they aren’t great right now

Apart from these thoughts, there is always a loud voice telling me to be creative. When I am not writing/taking pictures regularly I just feel off. So with whatever time I can manage, I’ll try to make space for creativity.

With all that said, I hope you are doing well and in case you need a recharge as we enter week 11 of physical distancing I’ve included some self care ideas to keep you going for the long haul.

Create a (new) routine. Realizing I didn’t have my commute, my morning step count/city walk, my time to scroll IG, read a book or catch up/make lists/plan. Although I don’t have a routine that makes me grounded, I had to be okay changing things up. Steps around the house or a quick walk with the girls around the street, read in bed while the house is closet/before getting up to start the day. Part of the routine also includes remote learning for the kids as well as teaching them about when we have work tasks/meetings. It’s a tricky balance but we are getting there.
Get dressed in something cute every morning. Ok I am definitely not wearing dress pants, skirts or blazers. But a fresh pair of leggings and a cute sweater can make all the difference.
Exercise and find ways to be active. Workouts have changed. Running outdoors doesn’t feel the same. I have to really fight for my 10k steps. But I do it anyways. I take the stairs more than I have to. I chase the kids. I try not to stand still and walk during meetings.
Talk to someone. I think since 2020 started, I realized that I became an introvert in adulthood. Or maybe I just crave my own space, quiet and stillness. But then I found that I needed to talk to people who filled my cup. I needed to surround myself with positivity and clarity. Thankfully I have a few people I can talk to.
Drink tons of water. Water/Sparkling/Herbal tea + multiple trips to the bathroom :)
Conscious Eating. We’ve started meal planning again or atleast writing a list of meals for the week so we can prep in advance or not have to think of options when it’s time to eat. Make grocery lists. And decide on when we want to indulge (because that happens!)

My Evolution Of Journaling

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Bhanu Misra Marya

Looking inward to find ways to be better for myself is by journaling.

For free writing and diary type entires, I’ve relied on my @dayoneapp. I can write long, free-form and always had an option to export my entire month or year of journaling to a PDF.

I started using the @fiveminutejournal 3 years ago because I wanted to be more present and grateful. It was by far the easiest way to keep me grounded.

When my mornings got to busy and I couldn’t even find 5 minutes to write in the morning because I didn’t have the time to myself I started using the app version of the journal. I would use it on my morning commute – it and made gratitude journaling more convenient.

A few days ago, I found out that I can combine my free form journal writing with my gratitude practice with the ease of an app! I still use paper and pen daily but having everything available on the go without the bulk of a book is a game changer!

Do you journal? Which app do you use or do you prefer a paper journal?

Fall back into Action!

Posted on September 3, 2019 by Bhanu Misra Marya

“Soar, eat ether, see what has never been see; depart, be lost, but climb” // Edna St. Vincent Millay

I love September! Fresh start, crisp mornings, new recipes, tall boots, beautiful fall photography :)

September has always felt like the start of a New Year of Learning. And although I no longer am in school or formal education, it’s important for me to remember that I should continue to grow and learn. I try to do this as often and as easily I can by: doing new things, reading books, listening to podcasts/Ted Talks or simply by changing my perspective to understand a topic more deeply. I often forget that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed or confused some days. It’s on those days that I need to take a time to rest and recover but also not forget to keep my goal in mind and continue to scale that mountain.

I am taking this this upcoming month to fall back into action! I want to get back into good routines and stay focused. I put together this checklist to keep me motivated and ahead of my goals as we move into the colder months!

Holiday Wish List 2018

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Bhanu Misra Marya

It’s funny as I get older, I either want less stuff or just keep my eye on things long enough so I can get them when they go on sale 😛

Vegan long puffer jacket: I have a long maternity jacket from Old Navy (yes – I still wear it) and a short Mackage jacket (soo warm and cozy). Both are great and serve their purpose but I need a winter jacket that combines length and the ability to keep my entire body protected from the cold. Being socially conscious is a plus point for sure!
Long sleeve running top: Give me all the workout clothes. Right now I am in need of a black long sleeve tee!
Runners: I love my Nike Zoom Structure runners. And these are the next version (22 I think). I prefer neutral colours in sneaks especially as I use the same pair for training and running.
Sheet Masks: I love using sheet masks. I love using them on Sundays. And I love how easy they are to use when I need to take some time out for myself.
Mini Food Processors: In our 22nd century world where everyone has a vitamix, I’m over here trying to get to to the 21st century because I still need a good old fashion food processor.
3 Little Wonders: Trying to incorporate anti-aging and vit C into my skin care routine. Hoping this mini version gives me the boost I need!
Electronic Toothbrush: Totally a want that I’ve wanted for years!
A new planner for 2019: I live and breath with my planner. I do all the usual stuff, record events, birthdays, anniversaries, set goals and tasks as well as habit track. The right planner makes me feel organized and it’s an absolute necessity for me.
Jade facial roller: Jumping on the IG bandwagon here and really want to try it out.