One of the first thoughts in my mind upon waking is that first cup of coffee. The 
moment I smell the tantalizing aroma, I imagine the lovely balance of acidity and body. The warmth as I pour those first drops into my favorite cup. The chemistry I perform as I add just the right amount of cream and sugar.
And then. The ecstasy of that very first sip: nectar from the gods.
To be perfectly honest, though, the preparation of coffee in the morning had become too routine. I would grind a few days worth of beans, throw them into a filter and fill the reservoir with water in a haphazard manner each evening before I went to bed.
And we were noticing that the longed for first cup often tasted mediocre.
I’m a big fan of routines. Routines in some areas of our lives allow us to be more productive and creative as they create a framework for how we transverse our day. However, when routines become so rote that we lose our love or respect for a pleasure in our lives, it’s time to shake things up.
So, last week, I began to make our morning coffee with a different attitude. My routine has become a ritual – a celebration and reverence for the beautiful coffee bean.
- First, I choose my brew for the day. I open a bag of coffee beans (sourced from a company that roasts locally), and grind just enough coffee for the morning. Not only does the gentle whirring of the blades begin to wake me, but the aroma of freshly ground coffee begins to work it’s magic on my body.
- I would never drink unfiltered water on it’s own, but here I was, making coffee with it! Now, each morning, I gently pour water into my coffee maker from my Brita pitcher. And then press that magic button.
These two seemingly simple steps brought presence, love, and respect for that blissful first sip of morning brew.
What about you? What activities in your life have become so routine in your life that you’re losing the pleasure of them? How can you bring presence and ritual to your world?
Meal time. This is something we do daily, but we rarely make it the priority it should be. A time for us to sit together and truly bond over a meal. Even when we are all eating together, often the focus isn’t on each other, or even our meal. We’re watching television. I really want to make sitting together over a nice family dinner a priority again.
That’s a great one, Roxanne. We do sit and have dinner each night at the table (either dining room or deck). It’s been a huge part of making this relationship different from past ones.
We always make the effort to sit together for our evening meal and chat. Another little calming routine we share is one of our cats comes upstairs to say good-night to me and then goes to my husband and says good-night to him. Then he disappears downstairs to find his favourite spot on the sofa. It never fails to bring a smile.
I love the family dinner dedication, Penny. And animals do have a way to force us into beautiful routines and rituals ;-)
A wonderfully written post you have here. I can completely related to your coffee bean story.
Anyway, for me, the routine that I am starting to lose pleasure in is ‘going to work’.
I wake up in the morning, get dressed, get a cup of coffee, leave, work, return home, take a bath (oh! taking a bath is also a routine), and go to bed. I’m definitely losing pleasure here (I feel like a robot) and I think the ritual tip that you provided can be a great help.
GREAT! Let me know if it works. Give it about a week to settle in and then evaluate if it’s making you feel more excited!