Routines vs. Rhythms: Reclaiming a Slower, More Sustainable Life

You’ve probably been told that if you want a successful life, you need a routine.
Set your alarm.
Do the thing.
Check the boxes.
Repeat.

I believed it, too. I built a life around color-coded calendars. Every moment of every day was scheduled. I woke before sunrise, juggled all-day meetings in the corporate workplace, family needs, emails, dinner, dishes, deadlines—and somehow still felt like I was falling behind. Then came the burnout. Quiet at first, like a whisper under the noise. Then louder. Until my body, my mind, my spirit—all said “no more.” I felt starving on a soul level. And on a physical level I was totally depleted - utterly uninspired. This went on a for long time. I pushed through until mentally I couldn’t function at nearly the same capacity anymore - until my body was nearly constantly sick - until I was so emotionally dis-regulated I was always irritable and disconnecting from my relationships. At a breaking point I had no choice but to quit my job. That was when I started my blog and began gardening to heal. It was in this self-prescribed recovery I began to listen. Not to experts like a therapist or business coach (from them, I couldn’t ever get real advice that worked for me). But I had the space and time to truly listen to the Earth. To my body. To the rhythms my soul knew but was never taught.