Lead consistency with flexibility.

I've come to love routines -- wake up early, have a coffee, write, have breakfast, and then move into the most important focused work of the day. It's been a big part of how I've been able to move many projects forward at once -- juggling a music and tech career along with a non-profit effort.

I've encountered a challenge while traveling -- consistency can easily get thrown out the window when there are so many new decisions to be made: where to stay, where to eat, how to navigate a new city, who to meet and where. In Andalusia, everything starts a little bit later, so there go the early mornings. Finding healthy food and time for exercise -- well, that's a whole other challenge. It's been the first time in 6 months or more that I haven't exercised for a stretch of 4 days.

A younger me would berate myself for not being consistent, for missing such an important part of my energy and health routines. What I've learned is that flexibility and compassion complement consistency very well. Small suspensions in consistency, when tempered by our "yellow flags" -- those letting us know we should be attentive to continuing our routines -- are permissible. It's ok to fall off the wagon for a bit. The important part, trite as it is, is to get back on -- ideally without delay.

Ensuring we follow routines and our consistent efforts is compatible with small suspensions when higher-priority opportunities present themselves. I came to Seville expecting to speak with only one school to establish a partnership, and I have ended up speaking with three. Prioritizing these meetings in the short time I am here, expending comfort, convenience, and energy to ensure that I can meet with these schools, has been higher value than ensuring a daily exercise routine. Since the suspension is short -- less than a week -- it's a manageable blip that my body can handle.

This level of mental flexibility helps me be kind to myself. It helps me get back into a routine quickly, without the added weight of guilt. Consistency and flexibility should be partners, not antagonists.