Twitter blew up earlier this year when Kyle tweeted out “some people have an internal narrative and some don't”. I.E. – some people organize their thoughts in sentences, others just have abstract, non-verbal thoughts. Given my mind is constantly racing with Aaron Sorkin-eque monologues – everything from wondering if what I said on my Zoom team meeting was super awkward to contemplating future bad outcomes that likely won’t even come to fruition -- I was shocked to find that over 20percent of my friends and family fell in the non-verbal abstract thought bucket.
Sadly, most of the time that inner monologue is filled with negative thoughts and second-guessing decisions I’ve already made. And so I’ve been on the hunt for ways to quiet that annoying inner voice – replacing the angst with peace and quiet. Read below for the three hacks that have made a real difference for me.
The first step in my mind-taming regimen is Feals, the premium CBD company that I use to bring calm and intention to my daily routine. Feals uses specially-crafted equipment to extract hemp and other phytocannabinoids from the cannabis plant, delivering a pure finished full-spectrum hemp oil without chemicals, fillers or flavors. My go-to dosage of 40mg of Feals relieves pressure and anxiety and delivers no “high” at all, without the haze or hangover that I’ve felt with other similar products on the market. It’s a subtle feeling that’s made a huge difference in helping me stay focused and productive. And to be honest -- I’ve started and failed some semblance of morning routines for years. Feals kickstarts my zen-like daily routine so I can consistently follow through with the other two pillars that tame my inner critic: meditation & morning pages.
The act of meditating is certainly in vogue -- with market leaders like Calm and Headspace bringing the ritual of sitting with your thoughts to the mainstream. I’ve been meditating for a year now, occasionally even taking studio guided meditations pre COVID lockdown. Now I use Peloton meditation classes as my guide, starting each day with 10 minutes to ground myself in the day ahead.
I used to think daily journaling was a bit cliche, but I discovered Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages and am a full convert. After my meditation, I take pen to paper, writing free-hand three full pages of stream-of-conscious writing to knock the mental cobwebs off each day. There’s no ‘right’ way to do the Morning Page -- they are about anything and everything that comes to mind that day. And, like their cliche Journal counterpart, they’re for your eyes only. I recommend the notebooks from Muji, the Japanese retailer focused on minimalist design.
In an incredibly noisy and challenging time like the one we’re living in right now, it’s not easy to maintain a dedication to self-care. My morning routine, anchored by Feals, helps to take the pressure and anxiety off my shoulders. It’s a routine that's evolved into a habit I’m proud and grateful to continue for the foreseeable future.
This post is in partnership with Feals but all of the opinions within are those of The Quality Edit Editors.
