When ‘off the rails’ is part of the plan

Oh my god. Today was tough.

Not in any real sense of hardship, but tough in that “dragging myself out of bed and out the door” kind of way.

The reason? I’d been totally off schedule for the last week.

I just got back from an incredible cottage stay: late nights, late mornings, day drinking, night drinking, games, kitchen dance parties, swimming, boating, wake surfing, pickleball, and stuffing my face with all manner of delicious delights.

10/10 Canadian-style debauchery.

Yes, that was us in our undies at midnight // half-skinny dipping (family version). And I even got to swim with my baby girl Riley for the first time, which was pure magic.

But this morning? Reality hit.

Why Routines Save You

I woke up at 6am after a string of 2–3am nights. Tried to go to bed early but couldn’t turn off Ozark until midnight. Six hours of sleep didn’t cut it. I was groggy, foggy, and feeling rough.

But here’s what I remembered as I shuffled into my day:

Routines save you.

In my program, we talk a lot about discipline and structure. Not as restriction, but as the thing that actually makes freedom possible.

When you build strong routines, you build trust with yourself.

You know you can go off the rails — live indulgently, wildly, freely — and still bounce back because you’ve built rhythms that anchor you.

How Routines Create Trust

Here’s the truth about routines:

• They let you party hard because you also work hard.
• They let you indulge guilt-free because you’ve built discipline.
• They remind you that “being off” is just a fling – not a spiral.

‘Present You’ knows that ‘Future You’ will get her shxt together again because ‘Past You’ has always followed through.

That’s the trust you build with yourself.

My Routine Rhythm in Action

Today didn’t feel great, but I’m back at it:

• I mapped my calendar last night so I’d have time for a long walk with Riley.
• I laid out my clothes and washed/dried my hair so the morning would be easier.
• I registered for CrossFit and Pilates classes for the week.
• I logged back into my Weight Watchers app (WW might have an old-lady rep, but I’m here to tell you: it’s the shxt!).

And most importantly – I showed up.

That’s the magic of autopilot routines. Past Me set them up, Present Me benefits from them, and Future Me will thank me again when I intentionally fall off the rails in a few weeks.

The Routine Rhythm of a LIFE AT A TEN®

This is what I call the Routine Rhythm of a LIFE AT A TEN®:

• A rhythm that creates bounce-back.
• A structure that makes freedom possible.
• A system that helps you reset again and again.

Because life isn’t about being perfect. It’s about building strong enough routines that you trust yourself to come back to – every single time.