Mornings in Paris

Quote

“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine; it is lethal.” - Paulo Coelho

Once upon a time, I was sitting inside a bar in the East Village of Manhattan with some NYU friends for happy hour. It was a rare occasion that we exited Bobst Library in time for after-work specials. Our conversation was in full swing, high-antioxidant wine was flowing, and of course, some bites graced the table. I cannot pinpoint the exact topic of the conversation, but I will forever remember the statement my fellow peer and dear friend made to this day — "Sometimes I feel like I am stuck between wanting a structured life and wanting to be a Bohemian."

It was like time slowed down, the music blurred, the camera did that thing where it spins around you catching every angle of your body and intensifying your emotions. That's it! That's exactly how I feel! I thought to myself. On second thought, maybe I said it out loud. I carried on with my pumpkin soup and glass of red, and my life was forever changed.

Very nutrition student of you...

Walking the walk, you know.

For the rest of my life, I would continue with some sort of routine, but when it got too strict, too structured, too "routiney," I would let my Bohemian side come out to play.

Morning routines and other stories

I am not here to tell you how Elon, Richard, Serena, or Beyoncé spend their mornings and then proceed to tell you to follow suit. I have said this before, and I will say it again, “what works for one person does not mean it works for everyone,” and other short stories by yours truly.

OK, Kelly so what are you here for then? Hurry up because I only have 8 more minutes to meditate, take a cold shower, and make my bone marrow coffee before I go to work. FML.

I am here to tell you that maybe the best morning routine allows for some wiggle room to shake things up once in a while. I’m not talking about an adrenaline-seeking, risk-taking, edge-of-your-seat, “Vegas, baby!” shaking up. I’m talking about instead of driving to work or taking the train, walking or biking; instead of gulping down drip coffee sipping on a Chai, or instead of meditating followed by journaling, reading a chapter in that book you have had on your nightstand for the past month.

2 months, actually.

I appreciate the honesty.

You have your habits, your rituals, and your overall routine, and you like it, but you cannot handle it when it doesn't go exactly to plan. Your heart thumps and your nerves move to the edge of your skin wanting an out, how dare someone get sick on the train and make me late for my panda-hugging class! Maybe that morning routine needs a vacation, or maybe it just needs a good cry.

You aren’t talking about my routine anymore, are you...?

Different strokes for different folks

You do not need to have a ridged morning routine 7 days a week to be successful. Each day may be different and some people love plans and routines while others do not. Sometimes a morning routine is a product of your personality and sometimes it is a product of your environment, life situation, or culture.

For years I have loved to have some sort of morning routine. It has shifted and changed a bit from time to time. When I moved from NYC to Paris the change in my morning routine was mainly because of the change in my environment, work, and life situation. While NYC and Paris do have some similarities (the metro is packed like sardines in both cities), they also have a lot of differences, and one difference that stood out to me was the morning routine of the people of Paris.

Let’s go back to New York first.