Today I’m sharing something personal that I’m implementing for myself that might helpful for you, too. I’m calling it the Nourished 90.
This idea came about because I often encourage my clients to “protect their best asset” (meaning, themselves!) so they can lead and grow for years to come, without burning out. Typically when we start looking at how they’re operating it’s pretty obvious that what they’re doing isn’t sustainable.
There’s too much screen time, too much “on” time, too much content coming at them, too much eating on the go, too much numbing, and not enough nourishment in general.
Bringing back a little bit more spaciousness and a little bit less stimulus seems like a good place to start…but often they’re not quite sure what that would look like for them.
Walking with Sally and my mom on the coast is definitely nourishing.
And I felt the same way! After returning from vacation I knew something needed to change in my daily routine. I needed a reset. But I wanted some structure to help guide me.
So initially I searched the internet for a solution, and of course, it delivered no less than a bazillion options. Things like the Whole 30 where you reset your relationship with food for a month. Or 75 Hard where you “transform your mental toughness.” The YogiDetox where you spend 21 days getting rid of toxins in your body.
There are fitness challenges, eating protocols, lifestyle programs, meditation apps, juice cleanses, technology detoxes, the works!
You’ve seen them. You’ve probably tried a few. I know I have.
And often I’ve enjoyed them! I like having a clear plan for what I’m going to focus on and a list of what I’m saying yes and no to. I like a good challenge, too. However, this time around, nothing out there felt like a good fit.
When one friend mentioned that she was committing to doing 75 Hard (impressive!) I had an instant reaction of “Oh, the last thing I need right now is more hard stuff in my life. I want something nourishing.” So I started thinking about past experiences I’ve had with various challenges—whether they be mindset, fitness, or food-related—and decided to see what would happen if I tried creating my own.
Granted, I’m by no means qualified to give recommendations about nutrition, fitness, or mental health, but I do know what feels good to me. I wondered, what if I just took the best parts of the various programs I’ve tried in the past and combined them into something that provides guidance and mindfulness, but without a whole lot of extra stress?
So I’m giving it a whirl, getting started, and sharing it here in case you want to give it a try too!
Here’s how it works:
The basic idea:
Commit to doing this for 9 days. At the end of 9 days celebrate your efforts and re-commit to another 9. Ideally, you’d repeat the cycle 10 times for a total of 90 days. By breaking it into 9-day chunks you can commit to a BIG goal of 3 months while also not feeling trapped. So, for example, if after 3 rounds you decide that you want to drink and stay up late for your cousin’s wedding for the weekend (before getting back on the Nourished 90 train) you can do that without the guilt or the pressure to “start over” entirely. My rule for myself is no break longer than 2 days before beginning another 9-day cycle.
“Is this nourishing or is this numbing?” This is the question you’ll ask to get honest with yourself when you’re thinking about making an adjustment to your plan. The idea is that when you commit to this plan, your entire focus is making deliberate, nourishing choices. An awesome fresh pastry from your local bakery on Saturday morning might feel nourishing, but a Blizzard from the DQ drive-through after a long day might fall into the numbing category, for instance.
The Nine Daily Commitments:
1. Drink a gallon of water.
I borrowed this one from 75 Hard, and it is in fact pretty challenging to do. You have to be on top of your hydration all day to make this happen. But it sure feels good.
2. No alcohol.
Period. This feels like a no-brainer for me when I need more nourishment in my life. Alcohol is almost always a form of numbing for me, so it’s out.
3. Get 8 hours of sleep.
The older I get the more this feels essential and super nourishing. Everything seems to be better with solid sleep. Going to bed a bit earlier is key to making this happen for me.
4. Spend 45 minutes in the fresh air.
It doesn’t really matter how you choose to do this. Sit on the deck in the sunshine. Throw the ball for the dog. Eat your lunch outside. Just be sure to soak in some fresh air and vitamin D.
5. Spend 45 minutes moving your body.
This can be a yoga class, a dog walk, a HIIT workout, a gym session, a cross-country ski, whatever. The only parameters are that it’s continuous (i.e. don’t break it up into 15-minute chunks 3 times a day), and that your body is in motion. Make it super hardcore and sweaty, or let yourself stretch for the whole time. Whatever feels most nourishing to you today.
6. Take social media apps off your phone.
Yep, that’s right. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat—they’re all gone for now. You can still get on social media on a regular computer if you need to use them for work or want to intentionally check in, but the idea here is to prevent the endless phone staring and mindless scrolling in the grocery store line, on the toilet, while you’re waiting for the pasta to cook, etc. Instead, use all of that extra time to look around, smile at a stranger, take a deep breath, call a friend, stretch, or get something off your to-do list. Staring at my phone basically never feels nourishing.
7. Only nourishing foods.
I debated on how to structure this one a bit. I initially thought about creating stricter parameters, like cutting out added sugars entirely, but part of my intention here is to not turn this into a label-reading, restrictive diet challenge. That doesn’t feel quite right for what I’m trying to do. So, instead, the guiding principle for me here is just continually asking “is this nourishing or numbing?” and then making the nourishing choice.
8. Reading Ritual- 5 pages.
Commit to reading at least 5 pages of a book each day. I’m not talking about online articles on your phone or listening to an audiobook, but rather holding a physical book (Kindles okay too!) and allowing your mind to really settle into a good story.
9. Gratitude- 5 things.
Write down 5 things you’re grateful for before you go to sleep. This is simple but powerful.
That’s it!
Sounds pretty doable right?
I’m starting today and I’d love it if you’d join me. If you want to just shoot me an email to let me know that you’re doing it because I sure love a little camaraderie! I’m at katie (at) crowheartcreative.com.
And feel free to use the PDF or the phone wallpaper below to keep these commitments handy:
