I’m writing from Door County this morning at the cutest little coffee shop called Basecamp, and I’m sitting next to a group of retirees having their weekly book group (who knows what book they read, it doesn’t seem to be a big topic of conversation but it sure looks like they’re having fun!). It’s 10:30 AM, I’m working on a few blog posts, and with the sea of coffees next to me there’s one lone book group lady with a big glass of white wine. And honestly, you do you girlfriend. Who says you can’t have a big glass of wine before happy hour? Definitely not that lady.

And while I’m not a big proponent of day drinking (really I’ve tried it and it’s not for me!), there’s a little nugget of wisdom to the lady who clearly gave away the last of her f***s a few years ago. There are so many little unwritten “rules” we live by, and with most of them, it would probably be a lot better if we didn’t and just did what we really wanted to do. Instead of ticking the rules boxes, there’s something really lovely about doing your own thing from time to time, or breaking out of your everyday routine.  I’ve had more free time than I’d anticipated the past week (more on that later), which gave me the perfect excuse to break out of my everyday routine more than usual. Every day I’d wake up at 5:30, trudge downstairs to get ready, drive an hour and a half to work, barrel through my to-do list, eat, drink more coffee, and then drive an hour and half home to full-total-exhaustion. The days usually ended in me foraging in my freezer for some single serve frozen meal and then falling asleep on the couch at 8:30 or 9. Oofta.

We all pretend that life is super glamorous on blogs and Instagram – but sometimes it’s pretty darn tiresome and mundane. No pretty outfits (I usually wore my same work pants 2-3 days in a row, haha), no cute coffee shops – only the suburban Starbucks, just your average Monday through Friday workday routine. Most of us do it every week, but having the opportunity to break out of your routine (or finding little ways to change it up) can make such a big difference to your mental clarity, energy and creativity.So what have I been doing to break out of my stagnant routine? All of the things!

Reading actual books! I’ve been toggling between Originals (after years of wanting to read it) and One Day You’ll Thank Me by my old college professor about his family and crazy, cute kids (who I used to babysit from time to time in college too!), which has been such a fun read.

Writing more blog posts now that I have this magical thing called “free time”!

Traveling to Door County and now in Greenville/Asheville with my cute family this week!

Doing all the things I’ve been putting off for months/years (Dealing with my finances, merging 401Ks?

Going on long walks (and sneaking in some yoga classes here and there!). I mean, now that it’s nice out it’s the perfect excuse to walk around the neighborhood.

Making coffee dates and catching up with friends. When you’re stuck in a crazy routine, getting away to see friends you haven’t seen in forever – so I’ve been making coffee/dinner dates, planning happy hours, and making sure to squeeze in as much time with people I love.

Cooking (ehhhh….sorta, kinda) – but at least grocery shopping and meal prepping more than I ever did before!

…and honestly, I should probably also order a glass of wine and virtually cheers to this badass book club lady next to me too. She seems to have the right idea 😉

While I know it’s tough to break out of your usual routine, it’s made a pretty big difference in the last week getting the chance to reset. And even if you can’t fully reset, try to make a little change and see how much of a difference it can make – whether it’s planning a little trip, calling an old friend, or ordering a glass of wine before noon. It definitely can’t hurt! xx