Finding a routine that propels you forward

What if we fashioned our entire lives so that our art, health, and happiness blossom?

I wake up each morning at 5:45. By seven I head out the door, get on the train, and go to work. I usually get back home in the evening between 7 and 7:30, rarely later. I have a four-hour daily commute and if you see me on the train I'm doing one of three things: writing, reading, or designing.

There's phenomenal power in my daily routine. I am able, without thinking, to improve on my passions just by making them daily habits. I'm able to become a better writer and designer because I focus on these two areas on my daily ride.

But this is only the train ride. What about the hours of sleep I get each night? Or the food I eat? Or the people I talk to on a regular basis? The relationships that I keep on an ongoing basis? How can I maximize the healthier aspects of each moment of my life? There are many aspects of our lives that we can better understand, and isolate in order to improve them. And it doesn't have to be complicated. For example, each day before lunch my friend has a reminder go off on his phone that tells him to 'Eat healthy!'. Keeping a diary of how many hours you sleep each night, and how you feel each morning (and perhaps why) might also help to improve your sleep.

But making long-lasting changes in the way you live takes courage. Great power is needed to instill a inner strength that propels one forward, that doesn't allow unhealthy habits or routines sabotage the potential that lies within. You just have to find this power, and it can only come from yourself. Meditation, writing in a journal, or seeing a therapist helps.