Nadine J Walters – My Life

Question for myself today: What are your habits? What are the things you do each day that you consider habits, and how did you develop them?

My answer: My habits tend to come and go. Aside from a couple of long-standing routines, most evolve with time, circumstances, and whatever season of life I’m in. The constants? Getting up early and drinking coffee. Those two have been with me for decades, and I don’t see them going anywhere anytime soon. Reading often folds into that ritual—typically fiction—because it lets me worry about someone else’s problems for a change.

Another staple of my morning is taking a walk. I used to run, but now I walk. That habit has been part of my life for decades too, though it took a hiatus for a while—after my dog Angel passed and I had knee surgery. But since adopting Andy, our morning walks have become a fixed part of the day. Even if I need to leave early or Andy’s headed to doggy daycare, we still go. It might be short, but it’s non-negotiable—rain or shine.

Outside of the morning routine, my habits are a bit more… fluid. They shift with my schedule and whatever else is happening in my life. At one point, I was teaching yoga five nights a week—that definitely disrupted my mornings. But once I cut back to daytime classes and adopted Andy, I was able to reclaim my coffee-read-walk rhythm. That routine has become the foundation of my day.

Evenings have their own flow: another walk, dinner, and some time with the TV. I reserve most early afternoons for art, and I wedge in housework and workouts wherever they fit. No set time. Just a general rhythm.

I really appreciate the structure that habits provide, but I don’t think they should be restrictive. Instead, I believe they should support the things you value. Writing this blog is a great example. A few weeks ago, I was writing right before bed, which worked—until it didn’t. I started falling asleep mid-sentence, and missing days was throwing off my blogging momentum.

So I made a shift. Now, after Andy and I return from our morning walk, I sit down to write. I set up my MacBook before we leave, prep breakfast as soon as we’re back, and then start typing while I eat. So far, it’s a comfortable rhythm.

And that’s the thing—comfort might be the secret to sustainable habits. I like the idea of a gentle habit—something you ease into, step by step, until it naturally becomes part of your life. With this blogging project, setting the stage (mentally and physically), making it enjoyable with breakfast, and allowing myself to settle in has made all the difference.

I’ve also stacked my other project, 100 Faces, onto this routine. Right after I finish editing and publishing this post, I’ll open my sketchbook and draw a face. It’s all right here—my supplies, my references—ready and waiting. Habit stacking makes it easy to stay consistent.

My morning routine and the habits I’ve built around it are working for now. And I know things will change—they always do. In fact, I’m heading out of town this weekend, and I’ll be curious to see how travel shakes things up. I’ll probably write about it while I’m away or when I get back.

But one thing I know won’t change: the morning coffee.