And what do I write about today? It’s been an unexpectedly rainy day in Bombay, and I’ve lit a couple of candles to liven up the dullness. Climate change is real, and frightening.
I am glad October is over, and done with. It was not an easy month in the least. I woke up today, feeling less rested than I would have liked but I forced myself to stretch, and get out for a walk. My efforts were rewarded with a meeting with a six-month-old German Shepherd puppy called Casper, who was very needy, which was just what I needed, to be honest. We had a good cuddle, and that set me up for the day.
There’s been a lot of churn in my mind, my life and my work this year, and one of the things I am really trying to work towards is creating a toolkit for routine. I don’t do well with repetitive routine, and when I read my writing over multiple blogs the past decade, my attempts to create one are a recurring theme.
At 40, though, I feel like I need to make my peace with some things. I am never going to be the person who wakes up and greets the day with enthusiasm, exercise, and a sense of purpose. And that’s okay, but what I find is that when I start the day with certain actions, it makes me feel more even-keeled. Not always productive. Not always happier, or more energetic. Which is okay, too. I like feeling centred, though, which is what I am aiming for.
So here’s my toolkit for mornings:
- Drinking a bottle of water that I add half a teaspoon of pink salt to, at night. I keep it on my bedside table and sip from it for the first hour of the day.
- A turmeric capsule and a flaxseed oil capsule, taken on an empty stomach. I rarely miss this step.
- Meditation or prayer
- Journalling
- Stretches, and then a walk or yin yoga for an hour
- Lighting dhoop, or lobhan, and using it to clear the house of old energies
Chinmayee Manjunath 
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