For me, Sunday is a day of “rest”. It’s the day I tidy up, take stock of the upcoming week, and genuinely make sure my head is screwed on my shoulders straight before Monday! Even though I work from home, most of my clients operate on a M-F schedule so I tend to as well.
Although I'm kind of person who doesn’t have a “normal” when it comes to my schedule - I like the tradition I keep with myself of thinking of Sunday as a day of rest and intentional self/life care that I may be too busy for the rest of the week.
Today I thought I’d share 10 Sunday Rituals with you that I can’t live without - and I’d love to know yours!
Throughout, you’ll find some of my favorite snaps recently of places and moments that gave me a sense of peace. :)
Sunday Rituals I Can’t Live Without
1. Tidying up
I have always worked best in order - and while I can withstand a mess for awhile, I’ve never had a tolerance for dirt. Getting the house tidy before the rest of the week means I get to wake up on Monday and live/work in a lovely, orderly space. I notice a significant decline in my energy and productivity when I don’t do this - so even when I’m feeling lazy - I try to boot myself into action.
2. Getting to the beach
I live in Seattle - in no small part - because it’s on the ocean. I don’t think it’s possible to be deeply stressed standing next to the sea. If I want to recenter and refocus, a trip to the beach does the trick every time.
3. Cooking
I don’t blog much here about my cooking - but I love to cook. I’m a big fan of making up 3-4 course meals on an average weeknight, and trying out new projects like puff pastry which is just as complicated as the Great British Baking Show promises it will be. One of my all-time favorite things to do is to cook a huge Sunday breakfast.
4. Thriftshopping
Another favorite Sunday ritual is heading to Goodwill or Salvation Army for a thrifting session. I grew up shopping second-hand, and while I don’t necessarily need to for every purchase anymore, I enjoy saving money and the fun of the hunt!
5. Yoga
Getting a yoga class in on a Sunday is always a 100% sure-fire way to start the week off right. I also don’t blog much here about yoga, but it regularly plays a big part in my life.
6. Trashy TV
Yep - I said it. I’ll even go so far as to say that my favorite guilty pleasure is watching The Voice. I love it, and I can’t not. I spend a lot of time doing heady writing, or working on semi-political social/justicey things - so getting to tune out of all of that and watch something so sparkly and surreal is amazing at times.
7. Taking the most awesome shower/self spa date
Maybe more of the ladies will get this - but when you’re moving, moving, moving all week there is nothing more luxurious than slowing down enough to do a face mask. It feels great and smells great, what’s not to love?
8. Doing a project
I love a good project on a Sunday. For me this often takes the form of tinkering around with plants - check out the terrarium I made last week! I love getting to let my creativity come out in a hands-on way, especially since so often my medium is confined to the written word.
9. Going to do something arty
Sometimes this means a play, sometimes an exhibit. Whatever it is, going to do something arty rejuvenates me - even if I spend a lot of my time thinking about these things anyway. No matter what is happening, being in a theatre is the most refreshing place for me to be.
10. And lastly - the MOST IMPORTANT RITUAL - not trying to “do it all”.
I can try to pack in way too much in any one day - and in order to rest - you just can’t do that. I try to be intentional about moving at a moderate pace on Sundays and letting myself take the time I need to fill my cup back up!
Hey Lily - why are you writing about these rituals? Seems random.
Well, I had a long week friends. I’m unusually tired - and even though I’m busting at the seams with excitement about things like my work in prison, or an upcoming art project in Hawai’i, or any other one of numerous exciting things - I need to take the time today to rest. So, rather than trying to be productive - I’m writing about it here - to remind myself that rest is good and important.
And hey - maybe you needed that reminder today too? Maybe - like me - it helps when someone says “you don’t need to do it all today, it’s a marathon not a sprint!” Slow down. Breathe. You can’t pour from an empty cup!
Wishing you rest and rejuvenation this Sunday, friends!
What are your rituals for filling your cup, and operating from a place of energy and plenty?
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a great read for Sunday night :) I'm actually trying to put more schedule into my life since I think I need some structure or I won't get anything done, but Sundays I definitely want to keep more free. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by - whether it’s Sunday or a different day - it’s just nice to have a day to “reset” intention for the upcoming week I think. :) Glad you enjoyed the post.
Lovely and some useful Sunday rituals. Having a Sunday lunch with my entire family is mine, we all get together once a week and share a meal. Besides that, everything else is spontaneous just like any other day :)
I love the ritual of always sharing a meal with your family, what a wonderful way to tap back into your core self and unwind. :)
Phew!
Til no.10 I was like how does she get everything in hahaha
I call it trash tv too .... 😂
I think the only thing I really try and stick to is sleeping in til I am ready to wake up
All other days has me up by 4am earliest or 6am latest.
Otherwise it’s just going with the flow
Teaching theatre in prison ... sounds interesting
You have interesting weekdays too 😊
Hahah --- right?! I was noticing that to when I was writing it and laughing at how I was advocating for rest while listing activities, lol.
Sleeping in, is awesome! Your alarm goes off so early the rest of the week - that must be glorious!
Sounds like a PERFECT Sunday to me. I am an ocean loving yogi too... and yeah throw in some art or any of the other things and I'm happy. Although we have been stopping projects around 3 pm for some chill time in the garden with a vodka or 3 of late...
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Late summer drinks in the garden sound divine. It’s so nice to be outside on those last days before the weather turns (although maybe you’re in a part of the world where it’s always warm?).
Yes, Sunday is a day where we tie everything together to get things organized again for the new week.
Thanks for stopping by - I love Sundays! Hope you had a good one yesterday.
This post is sponsored by @SteemitBloggers in collaboration with @appreciator. Just keep up the good work.
I love how you end with that photo and enjoyed reading about your rituals. Sure makes life a lot more fun. You live in a beautiful place. #steemitbloggers
I am glad you were selected or I might have missed out on this great post.
Aw, thanks for stopping by to check it out, I appreciate it! Looking forward to seeing more of you around #steemitbloggers!
Well, I read this on Monday morning but yesterday, I actually had my first "laze" around morning for a long time. Normally I'm always doing something but on Friday, a series of events happened that made me decide to just chill. So I was in my jams til after noon yesterday (although did go to London for a sports event later in the day).
It is very important to switch off and recharge the batteries and I am a little envious you are close to the sea. If I get my own place, I'd try to find a place in the South West of UK and get close to the sea (not too close though, don't want my house being eroded away haha!).
Lazy mornings are one of the best parts of life I think. While I can’t do it everyday, doing it once in awhile makes it even more special and awesome. What event did you go to/what’s your sport?
And I feel you on living next to the sea! I’ll feel like I’ve truly “made it”in Seattle when I finally find a place to live that’s within a stone’s throw of the water somewhere’s! Thanks for stopping by!
I went to one of the worst games I've seen - Arsenal FC vs Wolves (not literally wolves, rather Wolverhampton Wanderers). I am an Arsenal "supporter" and was offered to go as someone had a spare ticket. It was a 1-1 draw in the end but they haven't played that bad for a while, lucky to get a draw in the end but didn't lose :)
I'm so pleased you feel content with where you are! That's really important, now you can enjoy yourself a lot more :)
That is a very hectic day if you're going to get that all in! But hey, if you enjoy it, who am I to criticise? Like you, on a Sunday, one of our rituals is a huge breakfast that keeps us going for the entire day. Good thing too, because for the last year, unless we have no reservations, we host Sunday Suppers in the village. That means I'm in the kitchen cooking, then tidying up then setting up for guests. Yesterday, though, no diners and I got to experiment in the kitchen and do some writing. Happy day to you!
Hahah -- that’s why I always refer to #10 where I “don’t try to do it all” -- I mix and match, and sometimes just do one of those things, lol. Sounds like you have busy Sundays hosting these suppers, but that also sounds like a really fun thing to do within your community! Thanks for sharing. :)
I don't have any Sunday rituals except to wake up
Haha, I can appreciate that. :)
My Saturday ritual is eating crêpes with peanuts and maple syrup with a cup of black Americano in my favourite café in town. My Sunday rituals are going to church and shopping for groceries. :))
Crepes with peanuts and maple syrup sounds amazing -- the perfect way to offset that black coffee! Thanks for stopping by and sharing. :)
For us, catching up on our YouTube subscriptions is a Sunday thing; well, if we have made it home in time from our weekend adventure. There's just something about not doing anything except supporting our friends.
Ren
That sounds fun - and the kind of easy no brainer activity I need on a Sunday, haha. Thanks for sharing and see you around soon!
Wait, wait, wait.... do you do ALL TEN of these things every Sunday? Good golly, that doesn't sound like resting to me at all! On a motivated day I might get to 2 or 3 of those things. Holy wow! What is your secret?
If I could get myself together to clean my house, do yoga, AND go do something arty I'd consider that a highly successful day. More typically, I'm thrilled if I manage to make it to yoga (or the gym).
#steemitbloggers
Haha, nooo -- #10 is the secret to success here -- “not trying to do it all”. These are just the things I can be found doing - like you I probably only do a few of them at a time. I WISH I had the energy to do all that.
Thanks for stopping by! :)
Whew, good. :-)
This honestly sounds like a GLORIOUS way to spend an entire weekend! I love cooking and at least trying to keep things neat.
Thanks for stopping by!! Hope you just had a good weekend yourself. :)
so i do almost all of these things on a sunday too! Especially the self care - i normally do my nails (i have just learnt how to acrylic!!).
I also love the great british bake off! it's amazing!
Oh my goodness - my love of the Great British Baking Show knows no bounds, haha.
You’re doing your own acrylics? Is it hard? When I watch the ladies do mine I’ve thought a time or two it might be something I could accomplish...but then I get worried about all the little power tools! So cool you’ve discovered a knack for it!
haha, yes, I have discovered a technique called the dip powder technique, so it's much easier! check it out on youtube x
Hello i really like this idea of sunday routine and most of all trying not to do to much:) For me i will do something relaxing like a bath or go swimming if the weather allows it go for a walk with my daughter, cooking:)
Double yes to the not trying to do too much! Swimming sounds amazing - the water here is always really cold, even in summer, so I rarely go - but I wish I could more often! Thanks for stopping by!
Wonderful post @liliraabe 😊 I think structuring my Sundays like you have might be much better for me. I spend half my day catching up from the things I haven't gotten done on Steemit finished and then have to come up with dinner, don't get me wrong I love to cook. It's just that, it's always just me. Even after 13 yrs you would think I could get him to help me out more or be more involved, nope.
My husband will make himself lunch before he heads to work but won't make left over to have when I get home a few hours later. So on weekends, he has the do nothing attitude so if anything gets done it's me. Yet when I make dinner I'm expected to make enough for leftovers LOL. Sorry I'm just a bit whiny there didn't mean to
But doing, yoga and painting again will definitely help more.
Oh no! Haha, not getting the help you need can definitely be frustrating - and also make sure to find some time for YOU in there, because you totally deserve it. <3
For a day of rest you seem to pack a whole bunch into a Sunday. I don't have any real rituals for Sunday since I am boycotting the local church, unless that counts as one, that is a long story so I won't go into it. Rest is the only other and I haven't been able to do that lately, so I guess I strike out on this one, with just two strikes.
Haha -- see, those are just all the options -- #10 is the most important where I intentionally “don’t do it all”. :) I just sorta mix and match from that list. And hey - a boycott is a splendid tradition/ritual! Thanks for stopping by!
Yes, I also forgot to mention my boycotting the NFL football games too.
Interesting list. It seems like a lot to do on a day when you're trying not to do it all. Maybe it's not so much how much you do, but what you do that counts.
Ha, see that’s where #10 comes in handy -- where I “don’t do it all”. :) That’s sort of my “standard buffet of things I might do” -- and I pick a couple at a time. I so wish I had the energy for all of that - would be amazing! Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate the support!