Staying Sane(ish)
Retreat week is here, and I’ve made a promise to myself: to stay present, grounded, and fully trust—whether you call it God, the universe, or the divine flow—that everything will unfold exactly as it’s meant to, that the energy and inspiration I need will come at the right time (not 3:00am), and that I still have time to rest and do the practices that get me out of my head and into my body. I’ll be reminding myself of that when my creative ideas, fears, to-do lists, and subconscious spirals decide to make their grand entrance the moment my head hits the pillow tonight. All of that being said, I’m currently writing this in the middle of a late-night chocolate-making, full-on dance party while sipping a piquette (check out @olliespiquette on Instagram for more on this deliciousness—it’ll definitely be making an appearance during retreat weekend). So, once again, I’m just out here finding balance.
Lately, my practice of getting out of my head and into my body has been asking for more space, more exploration, more honesty, more support, and more depth. I wanted to share some of the practices that are helping me soften, surrender, and step into my inner and outer world with more consciousness, courage, and freedom. Let’s start with my wellness influencer-esque “morning routine”—if you know me, you know that’s a joke, as I’ve never been much of a routine girlie. Anyway, here are some practices (and a magical matcha recipe) I recommend for cleansing, energizing, getting creative, getting present, relaxing, and remembering how amazing you are and how good you deserve to feel.
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Tongue Scrape
This is my absolute, number one, non-negotiable morning ritual (sometimes also before bed or in the middle of the night). The number of people that have heard me literally preach about tongue scrapers is potentially unhinged, but this discovery really changed my life — and oral hygiene. It’s wild (and rather gross) how much ick gets trapped on our tongues. Scraping pulls it all out, gets rid of morning breath, opens my sinuses, and makes me feel instantly more clean, clear, and awake. It’s especially helpful when I have any sinus congestion, and I also tend to do it more frequently if I’ve had extra dairy, sugar, or wine (so… often), but always always first thing in the morning, then I’m ready for the next non-negotiable: hydration.
Drink Water
This one is simple: wake up, hydrate. Sometimes I warm it up or add lemon, apple cider vinegar, minerals, or electrolytes, but my only real rule is to drink a nice, big mason jar full of water before anything else.
Journal
I’m in the longest, most devoted relationship I’ve ever had with my journal (which I credit for my current streak of newsletter and blog writing). I picked up the concept of morning pages from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (haven’t finished the book yet, but this part stuck). Morning pages are stream-of-consciousness, brain-dump, sleepy-head writing about literally nothing and everything. They help clear my mind, unlock creativity, and ground me as I start the day. My intention is to do this before getting sucked into the vortex of my phone, but… we’re working on it. Having my journal out and in use has also inspired me to pick it up and write notes, thoughts, inspirations, and shit I just need to move out of my head throughout my days and (sometimes insomnia induced) nights.
Body Brush
I don’t do this regularly, but every time I do, I think, Why don’t I do this every day? It’s energizing, detoxifying, and helps me feel more present in my body. All you need is a natural fiber brush and a little time. Start at your feet and brush upwards toward your heart in firm strokes. Do the same with your hands, arms, and torso (clockwise on the abdomen to aid digestion). Follow with a shower and some lotion or body oil—it’s a whole reset moment.
Move Your Spine & Hips
So many of us carry lifetimes of tension and trauma in our backs, chests, and hips. When I tune in and ask my body how it wants to move in freedom and fearlessness—how to release, surrender, and tap into my feminine creative flow—it always starts in my hips and spine. It’s no surprise that the anxiety and panic attacks I experienced from a young age were also felt most intensely along my spine. Realizing my somatic experiences of debilitating fear and absolute liberation are two sides of the same coin was a major lightbulb moment (and definitely inspired the kundalini snake tattoo on the back of my neck).
You may find it most supportive to enter these practices slowly and gently to regulate your nervous system, though if you’re out of coffee, a deep backbend can certainly do the trick. Start by pausing, listening, and asking your body what it needs. This kind of body communication can feel strange at first, but with time, it fosters a deeper connection than you might expect. As you go about your morning, begin adding in side bends, twists, forward folds, and hip spirals (feel free to put on some vibey music and really feel into it). Slow, intentional flowing through backbends and heart-openers and intuitive movement of your hips will help you reconnect with your body, sensuality, and creative space. Then, you’re warmed up and might feel inspired to get on your yoga mat and get wild.
Shake & Dance
I’m a huge fan of a morning shake it out session. Start slow—feet grounded, knees soft, arms loose—then build up, bouncing, shaking, twisting, and eventually letting it turn into whatever energy release or all out dance party you need. Then slow it down, come back to your center and your breath. If you wake up in a funk, try this.
Breath-work
This can be as simple as bringing awareness to your breath first thing in the morning. Where does it feel expansive? Where does it feel tight? Can you soften into it? Can you extend your exhales a little bit?
For a more structured practice, try Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) for a calming and centering breath-work experience. Inhale left, exhale right. Inhale right, exhale left. Repeat for at least a few minutes, adding breath holds if it feels good, and finish with an exhale on the left. Or, for a more energizing start, Kapalabhati (breath of fire) can wake you up, stimulate digestion, and ignite motivation. Begin with a deep inhale, then rapid, rhythmic exhalations through the nose pulling your navel in with each exhale, letting the inhale happen naturally, maintaining a steady pace (again, for at least a few minutes). After your breath practice, bring your awareness back to your body and natural breath and allow yourself to spend at least a few minutes in a meditative space.
Scream & Sing
If you’re a living, breathing human being, chances are you’ve had some sort of social conditioning around how you use your voice, express yourself, communicate, move energy, and release emotions. I’m realizing more and more how suppressed my connection to my natural, wild, intuitive, clear, powerful, and sensual voice has been, and I know so many others share this experience. Every morning, I walk my pup past an elementary school and hear the kids screaming, singing, and playing without hesitation. And every time, I wonder—when did we stop? Why did we stop? How did we lose that freedom to express so fully?
Sometimes, the most immediate healing shift I can create is to just fucking scream. Physically, I always feel better—calmer, stronger, and softer at the same time—like I’ve just released generations of pent-up anger and am energetically letting go of so much pain and fear, a lot of which wasn’t even mine to carry.
Letting out an uncontrolled, primal scream feels like breaking through ice around my heart, giving anger, shame, and sadness the fire to melt and transform into a warm, healing wave of pure love moving through me. I recommend trying this somewhere you won’t have to explain yourself to the neighbors—the top of a mountain is ideal, but into a pillow works great too or sitting in your car (LA traffic gives me a lot of opportunities for this). Singing is also one of my favorite practices for releasing perfectionism, stepping into confidence and creativity, getting to know and be comfortable with my own voice, and feeling everything. My shower and cooking singalongs (and dance parties) are in full force right now and remain one of my favorite light, fun, and surprisingly powerful healing, empowering, and energy-shifting practices.
Go for a Walk
Bacchus (my pup) might be the best thing that ever happened to me for so many reasons, a big one being the daily requirement to go on walks. Honestly, it’s one of the simplest and best things you can do for your physical, mental, and energetic health—and even better when you get to bring a friend (dog or human… I’m only judging if you’re a cat walker).
Morning Matcha Recipe
I’ve been taking a little coffee break/drinking it less often to do some nervous system nourishing and hormone balancing, but I’m not the kind of girl that’s going to drop caffeine cold turkey, so I’ve been making a lot of magical matcha lattes (add a 🍄 microdose to make it even more magical… new products coming soon 😉). Here’s a recipe:
1 tsp matcha
Your fave collagen
1/2 tsp moringa
1/2 tsp butterfly pea powder
1 cup of hot water (140°F)
Your fave milk/cream
Currently on a pistachio milk kick, but raw cream has my heart forever
Raw honey
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Update… It’s been two days since I wrote the first paragraph, and my retreat starts TOMORROW! I’m about to log off and fully immerse myself in a solo night at the unbelievable Inn Paradiso before everyone arrives.
Since my occasional insomnia loves to make a grand entrance during exciting, creative flow times like retreat planning, I’ve made my evening relaxation practices a strict requirement this week—think: calming breathwork, a hot bath, reading, magnesium… but that’s a journal entry for another day.
None of these practices are about rigid routines or perfection—they’re about tuning in, honoring what my body and mind need in the moment, and moving through life with more pleasure and presence. I hope they help you cultivate the same in your own way, whatever that looks like for you. Some days, it’s all of the above. Other days, it’s just tongue scraping (obviously), drinking water, and stretching some of the kinks out… keep a little bit of kink though, keep life interesting.
XOXO, LL
