Wake Up and Smell the Routine

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out – Anonymous.

I am an early riser.  Lights are on at 6AM.  I love the early morning feeling – the fresh, cool and crispy air, and the momentary silence broken by the sound of birds twitting their morning melody.  It gives me a wonderful start.

I do light stretches, as soon as I open my eyes, feeling thankful for a wonderful sleep.  I drink 500ml of water right after, as it is vital to hydrate after long hours of sleep.  I used to dread drinking that much water, but I soon realise that headaches slowly became the thing of the past.  I hurriedly do my bathroom shenanigans – loo business, wash my face, oil pulling and brush my teeth.

Before I perform my dawn prayer, I meditate for 5 minutes.  Meditation is something very new to me.  I only started meditating a few months ago, when MCO 3.0 started, as I obviously needed an outlet!  Meditation has helped me a great deal.  The breathing exercises enhance my self-awareness, making me focus on the present. This helps with my concentration, especially during prayers.

All ready to ‘face the world’, I begin my day with a series of superfood.  Taken on an empty stomach, I start with one teaspoon of honey, a Medjool date with a glass of warm lemon water. I used to take Manuka Honey, but have since discovered our local honey called Kelulut, harvested from stingless bees in the remote rainforest of Pahang.  Kelulut Honey is thinner in consistency, and has a sweet and sour taste.  It has low sugar content, with its glycemic index being 3.5 times lower than that of Manuka!  Apparently, it is ideal for weight watchers and people with diabetes, but still want the benefit of a superfood honey.  Kelulut Honey helps with my digestion, and dates give me sufficient energy to start my exercise.

I exercise almost every day, at least an hour each time.  I do it because I like the sense of achievement I get, and I am also addicted to the feeling after – the endorphin effect.  It makes me happy.  Next off is breakfast of either fruits, or a piece of croissant with coffee. It is my version of intermittent fasting, I guess.

However, what I cannot live without are my vitamins and supplements, which I take religiously, including 2 capsules of Organic Turmeric with Fenugreek by KALIA (…. but of course)!

Then it is time to enjoy a glorious shower, and prep myself (after) with a 6-step facial regime from cleanse, tone, eye, serum, moisturiser, and last but not least sunblock.  What follows is a 5-minute Face Yoga, from an app that I downloaded and paid one-year subscription to.  Yeah, I succumbed to the hype!

Since Covid-19 pandemic started, I (like everyone else), find myself with so many hours in a day.  To occupy my time, I decided to pick up the Quran.  I have read the Quran, as a child, never understanding its content since it’s all in Arabic.  Thereby, I felt like I wanted to engage with the Quran, in a meaningful way, so I began to read the Quran translation.  I started reading the corresponding translations, to the two pages of the Quran that I read daily.  

What is the intended outcome to me?  It is knowledge.  It is guidance.  

Everyday I look forward to reading, and understanding (or trying to understand) the 1,400 year old scripture.  It is like reading a history book.  It gives me a great sense of peace.

By mid-morning, I will be at my home ‘office’ and my work day begins with zoom meetings, engaging with my customers, researching, reading, writing, blogging and everything in between. Lunch ensues, followed by the afternoon prayer, with more work right after.  Tea time is generally when my workday ends.  After the late-afternoon prayer, I indulge myself with some ‘me time’, which is mostly Netflix!

Dinner is early, no later than 7PM, and meals are generally light.  After dinner, is the sunset prayer, performed together with my husband.  The rest of the evening is just couple chat, dessert, CNN and herbal tea.  Then it is time to wind down – scented candles, long warm shower accompanied by soft music (from my Spotify playlist) of mainly Spandau Ballet – yes, I’m an 80s kid!

I end my evening with the night prayer, followed by my 5-step skin routine (again), and some reading.  I am currently in the middle of The Last Thing He Told Me, a gripping novel by Laura Dave.  I picked it up based on Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club Selection. Love her book list.

Lights off at 10PM.