My Daily Routine for Finding Peace in the Simple Things

I try to start every day with positivity and gratitude. This has been my way of ensuring that things will start moving forward if I have the right attitude about them. I don't know about you but watching or reading the news every day is kind of a downer. The economy, tariffs, the job market, illness, war—it really starts to get to you. So, I've begun a routine to keep me in my best mind space.

Morning Rituals: Coffee, Chickens, and Competition

Each morning, I start with a big stretch after I get out of bed. For those of you who have been on this earth as long as I have, sometimes you need to stretch out those kinks and get the blood moving a little bit. The next thing I need is my cup of coffee. I recently reset our coffee situation into more of a "bar" setting—complete with a cute little sign. Just the sight of our little coffee bar brings me joy as I smell my java brewing and await that first sip.

If it's nice out, I sit on the deck and watch the chickens, seeing what the squirrels are scurrying around doing this morning. If the weather isn't so nice, I still sit near the back door to get some natural vitamin D, and I might turn on Good Morning America or the Today Show to see what's going on in the world.

My morning routine wouldn't be complete without a little competition. Some of my family members and I play a few of the New York Times games, including Wordle, every morning. At last count, I'm at my 1,267th word-play game completed. I know it's more than that since I once accidentally deleted the app, but needless to say, I've played a lot! It's always a little pick-me-up to see my daughter's or sister's score and see if I can beat it that day. My husband and I usually have some part of our conversation that includes the day's Wordle challenge and whether or not either of us actually knew what the word meant!

Work Hours: My Burnt Orange Sanctuary

After that, I step into my small, cute office where the burnt orange walls are welcoming and warm with the lamps and candles I light around the room. I flip on my radio program or a podcast, and then I get to it! I respond to or write emails, post blogs or LinkedIn articles, write up recipes, plan for the week, maybe have a few calls, and check in on any projects I'm working on. Ideally, I like to wrap that up by about 2:00 PM at the latest. By then, lunch is calling.

Afternoons: Finding Joy in Simple Tasks

The afternoons vary depending on the day—I may need to run an errand, do some laundry, or start a loaf of sourdough. Right now, while my younger daughter is still home, I might get some alone time with her for a bit, or I may go outside and feed the chickens a treat of mealworms and check for farm fresh eggs. My husband will assuredly be home no later than 5:00 PM, so I try to have some idea for dinner before he gets home.

Right now, I'm prepping for a farmer's market where I'm going to have a booth in September, so I'm working on a few seasonal crafts to sell and prepping for making my baked goods and booth décor. Things are a little messy in my crafting area, but it brings me joy to see it all coming together. My favorite is using my bench saw to cut 2x4s to make cute pumpkin decorations or signs.

The Bigger Picture: Choosing Peace Over Chaos

The point is that life is good—and we so often forget that. I purposely set up my life like this right now, changing from the chaotic busyness of corporate life to find myself again and bring balance and peace. Some days I long for the busyness I once complained about, but most days, I'm just enjoying my evening glass of wine on my front porch, recognizing how special this time is right now and how blessed I am to have it.

Sometimes the most radical thing we can do is slow down, stretch in the morning, savor our coffee, and find competition in a five-letter word. In a world that constantly demands our attention and energy, creating these small pockets of intentional joy isn't just nice—it's necessary.