Skylights: Mar 2-13, 2025

Skylights is a series of key takeaways from my personal journal. Through sky painting and reflection, I've found growth often emerges in quiet, unexpected moments. I share these glimpses not as answers, but as companionship for others navigating their own paths of questions and discoveries.

On the sanctity of morning routines

03/03/2025: "Don't check! You know better!" I wrote, disappointed in myself for peeking at my email at the start of the morning. I typically avoid checking emails, messages, and news at the beginning of the day to safeguard my headspace and to allow for a more positive and undistracted morning routine. As a person of many habits and routines, I know firsthand how quickly good habits can backslide when we don't remain vigilant and course-correct whenever we stray off the path.

My morning routine is one of my most sacred rituals because I've experienced firsthand how much power it has over the day ahead. What we choose to expose ourselves to at the beginning of the day can have a large impact over the rest of the day. If you haven't tried skipping your phone at the beginning of your day, I highly recommend it if it's an option for you to try.

Here are some activities I do instead each morning before diving into the digital realm. Adopting even one or two positive habits before picking up your phone in the morning could help shape a much more pleasant morning and fulfilling day for you, too.

1. Stretch
2. Meditate + gratitude practice
3. 10-minute outdoor walk (early morning sunlight exposure helps set your mental clock and can play a significant positive role on sleep quality)
4. Eat a savory breakfast (nothing sweet or too carby, get some protein and fiber)
5. Journal (health log + morning pages + Neighborhood Nature log)
6. Paint the sky (I'll do this during the afternoon some weekends)
7. Read

I fit all these into what I regard as my Power Hour. I only spend a little bit of time on each activity, but it's just enough to make me feel balanced and off to a good start with the things that matter. Only after this do I dig into emails, messages, and sometimes news, but I try not to look at news until later in the day (and I try not to exceed 5-10 minutes per day). (Pro Tip: If you're a caffeine drinker, try to delay caffeine intake until 1-2 hours after waking - another routine which has been a huge plus in my life.)

On changes and self talk:

03/12/2025: "Be more present. Calm. Balanced. Helpful. Thoughtful. You'll make it through. It might take a bit, but you'll make it. You're learning and growing. Adapting new methods to cope."

My journal serves as an important outlet for reflection, which is especially helpful whenever I'm faced with a challenge or have hit a rough patch. Our inner voice can be a critic, a sounding board, a friend - don't forget to lean into the friend more often than the critic.

On the business of birds:

03/14/2025: "It is raging outside. Confirmed Barn Swallow sighting in our neighborhood 03/11. My tracked calcs predicted 03/12."

This is year four of tracking Barn Swallows and I was thrilled to see them return to our area within one day of my prediction based on past records. (Prior to consulting my spreadsheet where I track additional Barn Swallow migration and egg data, I thought it would be 03/14.) In addition to nature journaling, I keep a simple "Neighborhood Nature" log where I log birds, blooms, bugs, and more on a near-daily basis. It's simple and quick, brimming with what looks like chicken scratch, but chock full of some of the most meaningful data I've consistently recorded about what's happening just outside our door.

It's the simplicity of this log that helps keeps me so consistent. I've made this habit easy - and thus, it sticks. Are you struggling to keep (or start) a nature journal? If so, consider simplifying things and see if that helps.

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