#cleaned this up from my notes app in an attempt to get some honest creative juices flowing again

[sunnonymous]

My lips taste of salt.

(Date: January 1st 2024)

We didn’t do Christmas this year. Last year I should say, as of today. We’re going through the motions of New Years, but even Mum says she’s ‘just not feeling it this year’.

It seems to me no one enjoys anything much anymore.

We stayed up till 12:07 to ring in the new year, wowed at fireworks, counted down loudly, set off party poppers.

I span with sparklers on the lawn, and my brother waved one around at my behest. Only because I’d asked him to, only because… something about the importance of ‘tradition’. Even I’m not really sure why I insisted.

When Mum offered me a second set of sparklers after the first burned down to nothing, I almost said ‘nah, would just be a waste.’ But that thought made me uneasy.

So I took them, I lit them, and I waved them around in the dark, watching them fizzle out. Mostly I just waited for them to die.

We went to the beach today. Everyone else set out early but we preferred a lie in. It was afternoon by the time we drove out and it was right as the rest of the families were fixing to leave.

Mum and I hopped right out of the car and walked off towards the water, not wasting any time. I’d made myself come, because I always did, and the trip wouldn’t be complete without going for a dip.

The walk felt endless, sand stretching on so far the sea felt a world away. The tide had already turned. We’d been warned the water was cold and I’d thought, good. Maybe it’ll shock my senses. I hope it’s biting. I hope it’ll be so cold it hurts.

It wasn’t. I splashed my feet in the shallows the way I always did as we walked on and on and on in silence, before finally making it to the shoreline. We barely slowed our strides as we entered the water.

The cutting gemlike crests of low waves winked sunlight up at us, making it hard to see exactly where to put our feet. The sand continued to rise and fall like distant rolling planes, slowly, gradually lowering us further down into the waves.

We reached a valley that seemed to have no end, and decided to stop there, in case the ground beneath our feet never rose again.

Neither of us really wanted to dip the whole way in, but what would be the point of coming all this way if we didn’t? So we agreed we’d sink down to our necks on three. We counted down together, then sunk like stones.

Both of us gasped and cried out, I got a splash of seawater in my mouth and spat it out, tasting salt. It was truly freezing, for a minute, then it was fine.

I felt distinctly like I was supposed to be feeling something.

My eyes roamed over the flat horizon, across to the land masses either side of the beach, back to the dry dusty bank where the cars had become so small they looked like my brother’s toys.

It was clear the little doll people in the distance were going through the motions of rounding up the kids to leave. I closed my eyes and tried to feel something, before it was too late. I wasn’t sure what.

I thought about how I feel this way a lot these days.

I was buffered around casually by the waves, the outward tide tugging me off to sea, but it wasn’t that hard to resist.

I let my hands dance under the water, trying to admire the sight, the wavy reflections, the warped light across my skin. Currents pushed against me, till I got tired and stopped.

One of the cars on the beach drove off. People were starting to go home. It had been minutes at most, but Mum and I decided we should start to head back.

Facing toward land, the wind whipping out to sea was deafening. It whistled and squealed and pulled the water to flow out in its wake. Waves started splashing up in our faces, so for a time we turned around and pushed our way backwards towards the shore.

We tried to stay in up to our necks for as long as possible, now the cold was bearable. Every time a sandbank rose us up out of a watery valley became an obstacle. We had to keep turning around to make sure we were still headed on course, and eventually braving the wind became the easier option.

I overtook Mum, squatting as low as I could in a precarious balancing act between moving smoothly forward and keeping choppy waves from splashing up over me. My lips tasted of salt.

Another looming sandbank near the shallows brought me to my knees. Submerged to my chin, I spread my arms open in benediction, the tide tugged at my hands like it was trying to take hold. Dragging me back, back, back away from the world.

I stumbled forward on my knees still, wind screaming in my ears. It was so loud I could hardly make out my mother’s voice.

When the shallows rose even more, I began to crawl on my arms, spitting out the seawater that coated my chin.

I tried to stay in till the end, until my belly scraped the bottom and I was beached. Stuck there between land and sea, I rolled over and waited for my mum to catch up. Once she did, we joked about something or other, and regretfully rose to our feet, leaving the lapping depths behind.

On we walked, I pulled ahead, and as the peak of this sandbank miraculously tapered off into a deeper section I came across a spontaneously warmer patch of water.

I sat immediately, stopping right there and sinking like a stone into the turquoise waves.

I gave myself no count down this time.

There was no way of telling when the last valley would come. When I would have my last chance to sit in the chill and have the ocean wash me clean.

Mum caught up. I stood, and no chance to sit ever came again.

Dad drove the car out to meet us, to save us the walk back. I was disappointed. I’d thought maybe I would dip my feet in the shallows on the endless walk back. Maybe I’d even like it. Now I would never know.

Mum and I agree we’re glad we came, and glad we’d done it. I didn’t want to think about how this was just because the alternative was not having done it, rather than because of the experience itself.

It was ‘brisk but refreshing,’ we told anyone who asked. Which was true, I suppose, even though it didn’t altogether feel like it meant much. Things rarely do.

My brother and I head back home tomorrow, a day before everyone else leaves. We arrived a day late, too, just like we did with the beach. This whole trip has been a default dip in the water.

I’m glad I did it, but only because the alternative was not having done it.

Ready to leave just as soon as you acclimate to the frigid waters, even if it was never truly comfortable; you’d just gotten used to the discomfort.

It’s tradition, so it doesn’t have to make sense, just focus on the taste of salt on your tongue.

It’s meant to feel a certain way, but for some reason it just doesn’t anymore.

I feel like I’m dropping like a stone into this new year, with the same reluctant, apprehensive countdown. I know it’s going to be cold. I know I’m going to get used to it. I know I’m going to be meant to feel something.

[emilyplaysotome]

Chapter 5 - From Good to Bad

Catch up on Chapter 1 - 4 here! (or just Chapter 4)

A leopard cannot change his spots and it would seem that Soryu Oh was destined to be on the wrong side of the law.

There was no ski mask, no hiding of features - just the man I’d known for some time looming over me in a similar fashion to how he’d once stood over me in his suite, as I cowered beneath him on a couch back at the fictional Tres Spades. His hair was slicked back and I found myself frozen beneath him, unclear as to why he was resorting to petty thievery.

“Hurry the fuck up!” He yelled as the train began to slow into Queensboro plaza.

“Ok…ok…I’m just going to reach for my wallet…”

Soryu’s eyes darted and he clicked his tongue in an irritated fashion.

“Shit!”

I held my wallet out to no one as I caught his back running towards an adjacent car. In my own, two NYPD officers barreled through the doors at the opposite end and began to chase him. It all happened so quickly that I barely could process what had transpired, but as the train pulled into the station I realized that the doors refused to open. After a short commotion in the empty train car next door, I watched as the subway finally allowed people on and off, and Soryu was escorted out in handcuffs by a plain clothed officer.

“Are you ok miss?” asked an African American cop. He stood at least 6 feet tall and peered down at me with a concerned expression.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

He handed me his card and I took it.

Terek Bishop was a detective at the NYPD. He was quite striking, with handsome features, short cropped hair and a clean-shaven face. He was the type of officer that broke the pot belly, doughnut eating stereotype and instead had the body of pro athlete with an intellectual sharpness that comes with outsmarting criminals on a daily basis.

He told me that the man who had moments ago held me up had been terrorizing the trains at night and made me sit on the platform at Queensboro Plaza as he took an official statement from me. After a good 15 minutes of talking, he finished his report and noted that I would most likely be called in as a witness against Soryu.

It never crossed his mind that I knew the man who had momentarily forgotten about me or his past life in this world. I was happy that Soryu had been apprehended yet if he was to end up in jail I had absolutely no clue as to how exactly I’d get that kiss. It was unlikely that I’d be able to meet Soryu through a dating app considering he was a criminal and seeing as how I had no idea insofar as how one schedules a conjugal visit, I could feel the king laughing at me from his invisible vantage point.

My face flushed as Terek took down my information and my mind started to run away with itself. Luckily he didn’t seem to notice and instead noted that someone from his unit would get in touch.

“Sorry for keeping you out so late ma’am,” he said politely and I found myself stopping him with the realization that Soryu wasn’t the only one Terek might be able to help me locate.

“You don’t happen to work with a Jin Namba?” I asked cautiously. “I think he’s NYPD as well…”

Terek shook his head with a smile and said, “We’re a large organization ma’am. Name sounds familiar but I don’t think I know him. You a friend of his?”

“Something like that.”

“You could call the main switchboard but that’s about the best I can do for you.”

“The switchboard?”

“Yeah, hold on. Hey Fuller?”

Terek spoke into his walky and I heard a static-y type of sound before the man on the other end of the line provided me with a phone number. Terek told me I could give it a call and be put in touch with an officer, should Jin Namba be NYPD.

I thanked him, well aware of the fact that I didn’t know if the king had left Jin’s profession intact or if he’d turned him into something else entirely. Coupled with the fact that even if he was still NYPD, I couldn’t just call him on a professional line and ask him out on a date.

Regardless though, these were questions best handled after a good night sleep and being keenly aware that the clock was nearing 1 am on a work night, I needed to get to Meg’s and get myself to bed.

The next day I rolled in to the office overtired and with a latte the size of my head.

For the most part being a manager meant not being subjected to the same sort of scrutiny when it came to arrival and departure times at work. However, maintaining an atmosphere built on “fairness” meant that I upheld the expectations set for my underlings. I wanted to roll in late but instead I dragged my haggard ass outta bed and was in my office by 9:30 knowing full well that I was an example for the junior employees that tended to go out more often than I did these days.

I had hoped to get through the morning with as little human interaction as possible, but as luck would have it Anita decided to pay me a visit around 10 AM. She was one of my few real friends at the office, seeing as how we were both senior level people and often found ourselves stuck on different iterations of “manager island”. She was an executive creative director, and with a twinkle in her eye she plopped herself down and announced that they were pitching for a new account.

“Do you remember when we did all that work for Marriott?”

“Vaguely - why do you ask?”

“A much, much sexier hospitality brand is coming down the pike for a pitch in a month and I’m looking for all those consumer testimonials you did.”

“Hmm.”

I could feel my metaphorical feet dragging as I waded through my old files and Anita knew me well enough to smirk and ask, “What did you get up to last night?”

“Oh, not much.”

“That’s not what this seems like…”

“I had a date if you must know.”

“A date?” She asked with a perplexed expression, “but wait…you and…”

It was then that I’d realized I’d messed up. I hadn’t really wanted to talk about our breakup seeing as how I wanted to believe I’d get the opportunity to see him again and figure out my feelings once and for all. As stressful as this new game was, I hoped that it would allow me to solidify what I wanted and get it but I hadn’t really wanted to broadcast the journey to those in my real life.

“Please, keep it on the DL,” I said. “I’m still hoping we’ll get back together.”

“So you went out with him?”

“Not exactly…”

“Noami…I’m not judging, just confused.”

“It’s a long story that I don’t feel like getting into,” I said quickly. “And I found the presentation. Should I slack it to you?”

Anita nodded and said, “Thanks. And if you ever want to talk I’m here. I won’t push, just saying.”

“I appreciate that.”

Anita left and I found myself thinking about Meg’s return and the fact that I was mostly on my own. I spent a good portion of the day trying to figure out how I could loosely explain my dilemma to friends, but other than Leon I had a hard time believing anyone in this world could comprehend what had happened to me during my time down the otome rabbit hole. I found myself thinking of those last few days when all I wanted was my New York friends to offer their advice and support on what man I should take back to this world, yet now that I was home I had no way of leaning on them.

I trudged through as much work as I could handle and around 4 pm decided that I was mentally done for the day. Luckily for me, that meant laying low in my office having no pending meetings and most of my department busy with their assigned work.

As I once had in an otome cafe, I pulled out a new notebook and wrote the names of the men I was looking for in order to help get some sense of organization or a plan. I’d fallen into a date with Hiroshi, but having met Soryu once more realized that I couldn’t just keep swiping and hope to run into these men. I’d need to be slightly proactive and hope that the king had preserved some of their defining characteristics considering there were traces of the men they had been in both Soryu and Hiroshi.

At the moment I figured outside of waiting for my park date with Hiroshi on Saturday, I could follow up with Terek and feign some story of wanting to look Soryu in the eyes and confront the man who had accosted me on the train. For Jin, I could call the NYPD switchboard and confirm whether or not he was an employee. If he was, I’d have to concoct a story to meet up with him and if he wasn’t I’d cross that bridge when I got there. Hijikata and Zyglavis’ whereabouts remained a complete mystery at the moment and I jotted down a few clues and interests ranging from martial arts to chocolate cake.

Taking into account the size of New York City, the exercise felt far more futile than it had back in otome-ville where I’d had the upper hand. Even though you’d think I’d have the home game advantage considering we were in New York, the vastness of the city left me feeling like I was attempting to locate a bunch of golden needles in a dirty, rat infested haystack.

With these men I’d have to cross my fingers and hope we’d cross paths on an app, while researching hot new spots that may have opened up and attracted them.

Then, there was the last man that the king summoned who at the moment remained a total mystery. When he had noted this fact I initially thought the man in question might be Shunichiro Tachibana and I’d be lying if my heart hadn’t been hopeful of this fact. Zyglavis never knew, but I continued to play Shun’s routes from time to time seeing as how Irresistible Mistakes never had the issues that the other games had upon my return to this world. However, as I mustered up the courage to launch the game with the hope that Shun’s route would be mysteriously unavailable, I couldn’t help but think that was far too easy considering how duplicitous the king was…

…and when Shun’s route loaded without issue, I could feel my heart sink.

If I was being honest (and somehow the king’s games always forced me to take a long, hard look in the mirror), Shun and Hijikata were always the two that I questioned saying goodbye to. With Hijikata, I didn’t have a choice to explore where that relationship could leave as I was taken back to the future before it could unfold. Shun, on the other hand, was someone who had always matched well with me on paper and it was nothing more than a fleeting gut feeling that made me leave him behind.

It may sound ridiculous, but I was jealous of his MC whenever I’d read his stories and as a result, that emotion that bubbled up made me question why it was that I had deemed him not my match. He really would have been the most perfect boyfriend, and having played more and more of his routes I realized that I’d gone with someone I had more information about over someone I was getting to know. His dismissal haunted me more and more as Zyglavis and I had a harder time being together and I often wondered how he would have handled his jealousy.

Now it was clear to me that we would not be getting a second chance to find out, and despite being at work that realization did not prevent tears from welling up in my eyes. I was happy that most of the office had headed home, but there were enough of my employees left that I attempted to compose myself as I hid behind my monitor.

By the time I’d finally composed myself, I was in an empty office and had little choice but to go back to Meg’s and pack in anticipation of returning home this weekend. She was set to return tomorrow evening and we discussed having dinner together before I went back to my empty studio on the Upper East Side.

I was surprised at how hard I was taking the news that Shun was most likely not the mystery man brought here from the otome world, and convinced that I needed to cheer up pushed myself to recover with a yummy dinner and marathon of Vanderpump Rules. Naturally, it’s the moments of feigned positivity when the universe decides to throw another gut punch and though one could argue it was my fault for having my attention on my phone instead of the street in front of me I accidentally careened into a beautiful woman.

I didn’t mean for her to topple over in such a dramatic fashion, but she looked up at me stunned with large doe-like eyes as her long legs were sprawled out on the pavement. Before I could off her an apology or my hand for that matter, a familiar man flew out of the restaurant she’d been waiting in front of and rushed up to her.

“Are you ok?” He asked.

“I think so.”

“Someone could have gotten hurt as a result of your carelessness!” he chided, confirming my suspicions and adding to what was already proving to be a downer of a day.

Zyglavis’ not only had a girlfriend, but she appeared to be everything that I was not.

Read Chapter 6

If you’ve enjoyed the story, please show your support by sharing it with a friend or buying me a coffee!  

Thanks for reading :)

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[cathedralsofcolor]

Rules & Preferences

***UPDATED DECEMBER 29th, 2017***

I know this looks daunting, but most of it is basic stuff.

1. I don’t rp via Tumblr messenger or any other messaging platform.

I like to go back and reread my threads through the reblogs. Plus, I prefer to keep all of my writing public.

2. No NSFW or smut.

Both mun and most muses are 18+, but NSFW themes will not be explicitly written on this blog.

3. We do NOT have to be mutuals to start a thread.

If you want to plot, but I happen to not be following you, by all means, let’s talk! Just shoot me a message on Tumblr or any of these platforms, and let’s plan something!

On another note, even of we do have an active thread, I may not be following you. This is not a personal thing directed towards you. I typically don’t follow blogs that regularly write NSFW threads, but I will still interact with them in an SFW thread without following them. I also might unfollow someone who does not cut their posts, and they clog up my dash. Again, not a personal thing, just trying to keep my dash clean.

4. You don’t have to follow through with my request to write together.

If I ever message you about plotting, and you’re not interested, just tell me. I’m not going to be offended if you’re not interested in my characters or my style or anything, but I would hope you will be respectful enough to come tell me you’re not interested rather than ignoring my request. 

5. Please be honest with me.

If you’re bored and want to drop a thread, just tell me, and we will let it go - plain and simple, no hard feelings.

6. I reserve the right to drop a thread for any reason.

If I am unable to come up with a reply or feel uncomfortable with the content of our thread, I will come talk to you about dropping it. This is nothing against you as the writer. It is just very stressful for me to force myself to keep up with a thread that I have no interest in or am uncomfortable with. 

7. This is a selective blog.

I have tried being non-selective and semi-selective, but, like I said, forcing myself to write a thread that I have no interest in or am uncomfortable with is very stressful and exhausting. I will be honest (and nice) with you about where I stand on starting a thread when you come to me. I also may not have an idea in that moment, but I could come up with an idea later on that I think would work well with your muse, so a no now does not mean a no forever.

8. My replies can be selective.

Sometimes my muse is stronger for one character or one thread over another. I will keep any threads that I owe replies to in my drafts so I can reply when I feel like I have a good response. This can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, but I will not drop a thread without coming to you to tell you.

9. Do not assume things about my muse(s).

Got a question about my muse? Ask me! Or, better yet, ask them. Please don’t assume something about my muse and act upon that assumption without confirming it first.

10. No godmodding.

This one really should go without having to be said. I’m more lenient with this than I should be, but you writing for my muse is extremely restrictive to my creative process.

11. Read the information about my blog that I provide for you.

I have worked very hard to make sure this blog is easy-to-read and accessible on desktop, the mobile site, AND the mobile app. Please make sure to at least read my rules and the bio of the muse you are interacting with.

On desktop: Links to my welcome page, about page, rules, mun bio, muse bios, and FAQ are available in the sidebar of my blog’s homepage.

On the mobile site/app: Links to my welcome page, about page, mobile navigation, drafts, and blog page are available in the description of my blog.

If, for some reason, you are unable to access either/any of these things, let me know, so I can get them to you in some form or another.

12. I am on mobile 98% of the time.

I have found ways to finagle just about everything, so I can do almost everything on mobile that I can do on desktop. However, if your desktop theme is not mobile-friendly, I may not be able to find links and such and will come to you to ask for those before attempting to interact.

13. I have a specific format for my posts.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with how rping on mobile works, when you remove the reblogs on a text post, the first post stays, and everything after that is removed. However, if you remove the reblogs on the computer, all of the posts are removed.

Since I rp on mobile, I use that first post to make a title/header for my threads. This header includes the thread title, the URL of my partner, and the name of their character. Throughout the thread, even when reblogs are removed, the title of the thread will stay on top as the first post. 

If you use desktop and we are writing together, PLEASE do not remove the reblogs from your computer. I am very diligent about keeping threads cut via mobile, so they should not be long posts when they get to you. If you remove the reblogs on your computer, it will remove my title post, and I will have to redo it before we continue our thread.

Other than that, I don’t use any fancy text or icons, but I don’t mind if you do on your own blog. Just don’t delete my title post.

14. I will not write threads in which muses are heavily drinking, smoking, or using drugs.

I will not interact with muses who do any of these things. It makes me incredibly uncomfortable and anxious, especially when it comes to alcohol.

15. I don’t curse, but I don’t care if you do.

Same for my muses. They won’t curse within a thread, but they won’t mind if yours do.

16. I don’t care about your spelling/grammar/punctuation mistakes.

I’m a magazine editor irl, and I have a natural affinity for spelling/grammar/punctuation. That being said, I know I make mistakes, and, nine times out of ten, I catch those mistakes and choose not to correct them. This is a hobby for me, so I’m not a stickler for making everything perfect.

17. I try to match length when I can.

Usually my replies are a 1-3 sentences long (One sentence replies being complex sentences), especially when are muses are in an interaction. Long paragraphs can, at times, be daunting to me, but I will always strive to match length.

18. I am the shippiest bean known to man.

If you want to ship with me, let’s talk about it. I want to make sure our muses fit well together so that we can enjoy a nice, meaningful relationship between them.

19. I prefer to plot rather than send in random starters.

This mostly applies to first interactions. I ask a LOT of questions, especially right before I start a new thread, because I want to make sure I understand what you want and how the thread will go. 

20. I do not rp with non-human muses.

I prefer to rp with human muses, especially when starting out with a new partner. I don’t know much about human-animal hybrids or mythical creatures (not that these muses aren’t amazingly-written or valid), and I have a hard time learning and retaining new information about them. If your muse is non-human (demon, vampire, werewolf, witch/wizard, neko, other), and you think you could make a case for them to rp with me, go for it. I’m definitely open to listen and hear what you have to say, but I can’t ensure I will be up for it.

If you made it through this in one piece, congrats! And thank you so much for taking the time to look into my blog.

Have fun 💛

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The Ultimate Night Routine Guide: How to Sleep Better and Wake Up Smarter

I’m sure you’ve come across ‘morning routines’ being talked about as something very important if you want to be healthy and successful. However, I’m guessing you haven’t heard of ‘night routines’ being talked about so much.

Night routines are not popular, as sticking to a healthy routine isn’t easy, especially at night after a whole day of work. Let’s be honest, all we’d really like to do after work is relax. Routines? Not so much!

I understand your feelings about this issue as I used to think this way too. But after reading this article, I’m confident you’ll change your mind – as you’ll learn about the fantastic benefits of a night routine (e.g. no more sleep issues, a smoother morning and a more energetic day).

I’m going to provide you with some great tips (and some exact steps) to make the perfect night routine.

Why a night routine matters?

A night routine is the things you do immediately prior to going to bed. For example, it may be your habit to have a hot drink before going to bed, or perhaps you like to read a book in bed before going to sleep.

Of course, you might have no specific night time routine whatsoever and just take each evening and night as it comes. While it might seem that having a flexible and easygoing night routine is the best thing, I would caution you, and ask you to think about the following:

Your nighttime routine is as important as your morning routine.

By creating a routine for the morning, you don’t have to put much effort into thinking about what you need to do to get ready before leaving your home for work. Clearly, having a morning routine is beneficial. And guess what? Having a night routine is beneficial too.

Here are some three benefits of having a decent night routine:[1]

You’ll have a more restful and higher-quality sleep.

You’ll be able to tackle the morning in a smoother and more productive way.

Your brain will be sharper throughout the next day.

So, what are the ideal components of a night routine? I’ll reveal these now.

The ultimate night routine (with exact steps to follow)

Before you head home…

1. Get rid of caffeine after 4:00pm

Your night routine begins well before your head hits the pillow. If you work a 9 to 5, you need to think about how everything you do after 4:00pm affects your sleep.

For example caffeine stays in your system for up to six hours. If you’re accustomed to having a cup of tea in the evening, make sure it’s an herbal, caffeine free tea. Otherwise, you might be jittery until 10:00pm or later.

2. Stay hydrated

Dehydration can make you feel sluggish and tired when you want to be awake. You can’t go wrong with having some good old-fashioned H2O throughout the evening.[2]

3. Decide when the work day ends

To have a solid night routine, you must decide when you’re leaving work. It’s easy to lose track of time and stay too late. Establish a cut off time for work-related emails and phone calls as well.

If you don’t set boundaries, it’s hard to enjoy life and get a good night of sleep.

Immediately after work…

4. Avoid alcohol

If you’re heading out with friends, be mindful of your alcohol intake. Alcohol may make you drowsy, but the sleep you get won’t be restful. Skip the booze altogether, or stop consuming it at least two hours before bed.[3]

5. Have a healthy dinner

Aim to have your dinner a few hours before you go to bed. Overeating or having heavy or rich meals around bedtime may lead to discomfort and indigestion. When you need a snack closer to bedtime, reach for something light and healthy.

The time immediately after dinner is a great opportunity to pack lunch for the next day. Pull items from the freezer and package leftovers from dinner into individual servings.

Check out here for 20 Quick and Healthy Dinner Recipes For You To Choose.

6. Take time to tidy

Being in an organized environment will help you feel relaxed and in control. Cleaning dishes and counter tops after dinner is an absolute must.

You can also take some time to put things away if you’ve used them during the day.[4] Be mindful of clutter in your bedroom. Waking up in an orderly space will work wonders for your mood.

7. Prepare for tomorrow

Get out tomorrow’s outfit and gym clothes as you tidy. Clear unnecessary items out of your bag and set out everything you need to take with you. Taking these steps means you’re less likely to derail your day by forgetting something, and you’ll prevent decision fatigue from setting in early tomorrow.

When you don’t have a million things to do upon waking, it’s easier to fall asleep. Waking up won’t seem like a chore if you set yourself up for success.

8. Take time for yourself

Perhaps you watch an episode of your favorite show or play video games. Set a time limit for these activities. It’s too easy to binge-watch TV or stay up late playing games if you aren’t mindful of the time.

One hour before bed…

9. Step away from the screens

Cut off all screens at least 30 minutes before bed. The blue light from electronics interferes with the production of melatonin, a hormone necessary for restful sleep.[5]

10. Read a book

A better alternative to looking at your phone is to read a book. Six minutes of reading can ease the tension of stress in the human body and calm your nerves.[6]

Not sure what to read before going to bed? The Oyster Review has picked 21 best books for bedtime reading, check them out here.

11. Reflect on your day

Consider what worked and didn’t work today. This helps you appreciate your accomplishments, and shape a better tomorrow.[7]

Start by acknowledging one or two things you wish had gone better. End your reflection by thinking of a few wins you had. Even if you had a bad day, make an effort to end by thinking about something good that happened.

Write lingering thoughts or reflections in your journal. This keeps you from going to bed with a head full of worries. Find out how you can start journaling here.

12. Plot out tomorrow’s schedule

Write top priorities for tomorrow in a planner or notebook.[8] When you get to work, you’ll already know what to do.

13. Give some gratitude

Write down at least one thing you’re thankful for each day. Making gratitude a part of your routine can help you lead a healthy and happy life. Here’re 60 things to be thankful for if you want more ideas.

You can try to mark down your mood everyday and you may find yourself having plenty to be happy about. Mood apps like Mr. Mood is nice to help you keep track of your emotions.

Ending the day on a positive note sets you up for a restful slumber.

Right before going to sleep…

14. Take care of hygiene rituals

Besides brushing your teeth and washing your face, take a warm bath, or hot shower, before bed.

The optimal body temperature for sleep should be between 60 and 67 degrees.[9] As soon as you step out of the bath or shower, your body temperature drops rapidly to re-regulate with the temperature of the room. That quick change physiologically can cause sleepiness.

15. Practice bedtime yoga

Bedtime yoga activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which triggers relaxation. Here’re 3 simple bedtime yoga poses you can try tonight:

16. Go to sleep at the same time every night

As an adult, you’re recommended to sleep for 6 to 10 hours every day.[10] If you have to wake up at 7am the next day, it’s better to go to sleep around 11pm.

Find a time that is suitable for you and stick to that sleeping time. You can set an alarm one hour before going to bed to remind you to start your bedtime ritual.

How to stick to a night routine (the easy way)

When I just started my night routine, I started off with a positive mindset, and thought that it would be easy to stick to my new night routine.

I was wrong.

On the first few nights, I experienced multiple issues while attempting to stick to my routine. These included avoiding caffeine after 4pm because I liked drinking coke, stepping away from the screens as I was still reading some articles online, and going to bed on time.

But I was determined to get on track with my night routine because I wanted to sleep better and wake up more energetic and productive the next day. By the fourth day, I was making genuine progress. I stopped consuming coke and started to drink more water instead. I reflected on my day and kept track of my progress on what I had followed and missed in the routine. I started to go to bed on time and could sleep a lot better.

By the end of the week, I had successfully overcome many problems I had when I started out, and was able to continue to stick to my night routine.

Sticking to a night routine was really a ‘mind game’. In other words, our minds are so full of daily stuff that we find it hard to wind down at the end of a day – especially at a specific time. But with effort, this could be overcome, and a new, healthy routine put in place.

It can be hard to stick to a new routine but here are three things that you can do to make the adoption process easier:

1. Have a clear plan

Think about what you want to include in your night routine, and then write it down.

Make it as clear and simple as possible, so you’ll have the best chance of following it. And the best part? Once you’ve followed your night routine long enough, you’ll no longer need to refer to your plan – as it will have become a habit.

2. Create reminders and alarms

When you first start to implement your night routine, it would be foolish to rely 100% on your mind and willpower. Instead, use digital alarms to remind you of things like when to go to bed.

You can also be creative with this. If you like to have a herbal tea before retiring to bed, then set up another alarm to prompt you to make the tea 30 minutes before bedtime. And as with point No. 1 above, after a month or so, you probably won’t need the alarms, as your night routine will have become a positive habit.

3. Start small, make it so easy that you can’t say no

If you set too big a goal, you’ll be lining yourself up for failure. It’s far better to choose smaller, easier to complete goals that will give you a sense of achievement.

Look at your current night routine (or lack of one), and then start building a picture in your mind – or on paper – of how you would like your night routine to be. Then start planning on how to introduce these changes into your life.

If it makes it easier for you, implement your desired changes over a few days or weeks. For example, the first change to your night routine could be started straight away – by having a glass of water just before you go to bed. Other changes you could phase into your routine. However, try to make sure your night routine is fully in place within 30 days.

It could be easy to fall back to doing the bad habits, so I recommend you to try my Control Alternate Delete Method to take back control of your life. This is the secret method I used to break 3 bad habits in less than 2 months!

Before reading this article, night routines may have seemed alien to you. However, I’m confident that you can now see the tangible benefits of them. And once you begin implementing your own night routine, you’ll see the benefits start to materialize in your own life.

Featured photo credit: Vecteezy via vecteezy.com

Reference

[1]^The Strength of She: The Importance of a Nighttime Routine[2]^Business Insider: What your nightly routine should look like, according to science[3]^Pick the Brain, Grow Yourself: The Best Night Routine for a Productive Day[4]^Little Might: Nightly Routines and how to sleep hack your way to a productive morning[5]^Mark’s Daily Apple: Primal Starter: Is Your Night Routine Encouraging Fat Storage?[6]^Cosmopolitan: Six minutes of reading before bed will help you sleep, dream and live better[7]^Zapier: 12 Morning and Evening Routines That Will Set Up Each Day for Success[8]^The Muse: 5 Bedtime Routines That Will Make Your Mornings So Much Easier[9]^Pick the Brain, Grow Yourself: The Best Night Routine for a Productive Day[10]^National Sleep Foundation: Recommends New Sleep Times

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