self-compassion – Ruthann M. Wilson

10 Practices to Restore Rhythm and Meaning in Daily Life

Life moves quickly. It’s easy to overlook the quiet moments that bring meaning and connection. These ten practices are grounded in three core principles: reverence, rhythm, and rooted presence.

Each one offers a way to slow down and deepen your experience of your day. They are simple and accessible, designed to help you pause, listen, and be with your day in a more intentional way.

Whether it’s lighting a candle, placing your feet on the earth, or ending your day with gratitude, these small actions can gently reshape how you move through your day.

You don’t need to follow a specific order. Let your intuition guide you. Choose one practice each day, or return to the ones that feel most supportive.

1. Light a Candle with Intention

Practice: Before you begin your day, light a candle with quiet reverence. Let the flame reflect your inner fire: your presence, your purpose, and the energy you choose to carry into the day.
Journal Prompt: How can I tend to my inner flame throughout the day?

2. Sit in Silence for Five Minutes

Practice: Pause. Breathe. Listen. Let the quiet speak. Let it guide you.
Journal Prompt: What arises in the quiet when I stop trying to fill it?

3. Choose a Gentle Phrase to Carry

Practice: Select a simple phrase like “I am here” or “This moment matters” to guide you through the day.
Journal Prompt: What phrase feels like a gentle anchor for me today?

4. Place Your Bare Feet on the Earth

Practice: Step outside. Feel the ground beneath your feet: solid, steady, alive. Let it support you.
Journal Prompt: What helps me feel rooted and supported in this moment?

5. Make Tea Slowly

Practice: Prepare your tea with care. Feel the warmth, breathe in the aroma, and notice the quiet unfolding of the moment.
Journal Prompt: How can I let this moment of preparation become a ritual of care?

6. Let Yourself Cry, Laugh, or Rest

Practice: Honor your emotions. Let them move through you, whether through tears, laughter, or quiet stillness, without judgment.
Journal Prompts: What feeling have I been holding, and how might I let it move through me?

7. Write a Note of Appreciation

Practice: Send a short message to someone you love. Let your words be a gift.
Journal Prompt: Who has touched my life in a way I want to honor?

8. Place Your Hands Over Your Heart

Practice: Close your eyes. Place your hand over your heart. Feel its rhythm. Listen to its wisdom.
Journal Prompt: What does my heart want me to know or remember?

9. Do One Thing Slowly

Practice: Let one simple act such as walking, eating, or talking become a ritual. Slow down. Be present. Let intention guide you. When repeated with reverence, even the smallest gesture can become a doorway to meaning.
Journal Prompt: What opens in me when I choose to slow down?

10. End Your Day with Reflection & Gratitude

Practice: Ask yourself what felt sacred today. Whisper a word of thanks. Let the day close in quiet reverence.
Journal Prompts: What moment today held unexpected meaning or beauty? What am I quietly grateful for as I close this day?

These practices aren’t meant to be perfected or put on display. They are meant to be lived quietly, intuitively, day by day.

You don’t need to do them all. You don’t need to get them “right.” What matters is that you show up with intention and let meaning find its way into your everyday life.

I’m grateful you paused here. If it feels meaningful, you’re welcome to share it with others. You can follow the blog for new posts, subscribe to the mailing list for updates, or connect on social media to stay in touch.

All the best,
Ruthann

Envision the Month Ahead: Four Questions to Ask Yourself

As we begin a new month, I invite you to set aside a few minutes to start the month with the end in mind. Ask yourself the following questions with the end of the month in mind.

What meaningful accomplishments will I have achieved by the end of the month?
With whom will I have intentionally spent time, and how did those connections enrich me?
What will I have released because it is complete, no longer brings me joy, or serves my highest good?
What daily practices will have kept me grounded and present throughout the month?

Consider making a vision board that includes words, images, and symbols representing your desired outcome (click here to see my post on vision boards).

If you need help setting goals, check out my post SMART Goals: Bring Your Desires to Life, where I share the SMART approach to creating written goals and structuring your time. SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

Evaluate your progress on a weekly basis. In evaluating progress, think not only about what you have accomplished, but who you have become as a part of the process. Reflect on the changes in your mindset, your habits, as well as your overall outlook on life, as these are just as important as tangible accomplishments.

Acknowledge the challenges you’ve faced and the strength you’ve gained from working through them. Be patient with yourself and trust the process. Recognize that growth can sometimes be slow and nonlinear. Allow yourself the grace to evolve at your own pace. Take the first step, write down one thing you intend to accomplish.

Thank you for pausing here. If my writing has offered meaningful insight or stirred a shift in how you see, feel, or move through the world, I would be honored to hear what stayed with you.

You’re welcome to follow the blog to receive notifications of new posts, subscribe to the mailing list to receive new posts and updates directly to your inbox, or connect with me on social media, whatever feels most supportive.

All the best,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Gratitude: A 30‑Day Practice to Begin and End Each Day with Thanks

Gratitude is a simple yet profound practice that can shift how we experience life. By beginning and ending each day with thanks, we invite peace, contentment, and a deeper awareness of the blessings already present.

Being grateful is a simple practice that can have a profound effect on your life. Everyone has something to be grateful for – food, shelter, clothing, family, friends, health, career, financial abundance, transportation, new beginnings, new opportunities, life lessons – just to name a few. When we focus on what we have and feel a deep sense of gratitude for it, we are able to shift into a state of peace and contentment even if life is not exactly as we wish it to be.

For the next 30 days, I invite you into a gentle rhythm of gratitude, twofold in its simplicity:

Begin and end each day with gratitude. You may be thinking that you are too busy and not able to add anything else to your schedule. I hear you! It doesn’t have to take a lot of time. As an example, in the morning, I simply give thanks for the gift of a new day as soon as I open my eyes. In the evening, I review the day and express gratitude for whatever I consider to be gifts, blessings, or life lessons. I enjoy writing things down as it gives me an opportunity to review what I have captured over time. Create a daily practice that works for you and your lifestyle.

Express gratitude to others. Make a point to call, send an email, send a text, write a handwritten note to someone each day expressing gratitude.

If you miss a day, it’s okay! Work toward creating a consistent practice over the next 30 days and beyond.

Gratitude is a daily choice to notice, honor, and give thanks for the gifts of life.

Thank you for pausing here. If something in these words offered insight or stirred a shift, I would be honored to hear what stayed with you.

With gratitude,
Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Boost Your Day with Positive ‘I Am’ Statements

Words are powerful! What you tell yourself on a daily basis influences the way you experience life. Positive “I am” statements are extremely powerful in building and maintaining your self-esteem. I offer three affirmations to begin and end each day as a part of your self-care practice.

I am worthy

I am loved

I am enough

Learn more about affirmations The Power of Affirmations (Video).

You can receive notifications of new posts by clicking the follow button. You can share posts with others by clicking a share button below. Join my mailing list to receive email updates (Join mailing list).

All the best,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace