This morning I awoke after vivid dreams and refreshing sleep, and for a moment, couldn’t remember what day it was.
Ever wake up that way?
And I felt hopeful and good – for no external reason!
Then as I began to reflect on how I’ve been waking up feeling this way more and more recently, I asked myself if there were a particular reason, and it made me think of the power of compounding.
Sometimes we do something that seems “small” in its immediate effect, but as we make it a regular practice, the power of its effect compounds – almost like the building of a wave that can then carry you further than you imagined.
Here are two things I now realize may contribute to how I’m feeling — and they might make a difference for you, too:
1) How I’m ending my day – I’ve been even more intentional about dimming lights, turning off screens, and having a “buffer” time of reading something I enjoy before bed. Plus I take specific note of highlights from my day – things I feel good about doing, or that warmed my heart and made me smile.
With our busy lives, it’s easy to forget these key moments and go to bed with a jumble of thoughts and feelings from the day that may leave us feeling off-kilter, stressed, or “not good enough” in some way.
So I’ve found this practice of “sorting” briefly through my day to remember highlights and things I’m thankful for before bed to be a powerful practice.
2) The second thing I realized is that for weeks now I’ve been much more consistent about taking a blend of lemon balm, L-theanine, and magnolia bark extract in the evening, and then sipping a second blend of saffron, magnesium, and a dash of melatonin before bed.
We so often just look at “immediate” effects of what we take or do, and though the immediate effects of both were noticeable for me, sometimes there’s still variability — and just like with any “practice”, you can question whether it’s worth doing today.
But if we stick with something beneficial regardless of day-to-day variability, then the power of compounding can kick in — something we never would have experienced if we hadn’t stayed consistent.
Now I’m wondering whether this consistent nightly practice – particularly with the mood lifting effects of lemon balm and saffron and the benefits of these blends on the quality (rather than just quantity) of sleep – are part of what’s compounding into this fresh enthusiasm for my day!
Almost like I’m getting a daily dose of sunshine – a dose of nature’s smile and uplifting vibration – every night before bed and it’s now having a compounding effect.
Do you have a daily practice that’s been helping you? I’d love to hear!
Oh, and if you’d like to know more about these blends I’ve been enjoying – and how I made sure I was getting good quality, just let me know.
Here’s to a great weekend and brighter, sunnier days ahead!
Ben
P.S. Want more tips & ideas to maximize your health and create a life you love? Hop on over to: Journey with Dr. Ben
