This summer taught me something about routine.

I used to think of routines as the boring things we do because we're supposed to — getting up early, exercising, planning ahead, staying on top of work, eating well, keeping some sort of schedule.

But after a summer that looked very different than I expected, I realized how much those little routines actually serve me.

This summer was hard.

For months, so much of my time had revolved around helping care for my grandmother. There were appointments, caregivers, checking in, stopping by, helping my mom, and eventually hours and hours spent sitting beside my grandmother during the final weeks of her life.

And then she was gone.

Not long after, my grandfather and uncle moved back to Maryland.

It was strange to go from being needed so much — from having this huge piece of my days and weeks devoted to caring for people I loved — to suddenly not having that anymore.

Somewhere in all of that, I got pretty far out of my normal routines.

And honestly, I let myself.

I think there are seasons when that's okay. Summer doesn't have to look like the rest of the year. Hard seasons don't have to be productive seasons. Sometimes you just do what is in front of you.

But as summer has ended and I've tried to settle back into normal life, I've realized something:

The things I thought I needed a break from are actually some of the things that make me feel the most like myself.

Getting up early. Moving my body. Having a plan for my day. Working toward something. Taking care of myself. Having some structure around my work and home life.

Those things don't restrict me. They ground me.

And I think I veered a little too far away from them this summer.

There's nothing wrong with that. I probably needed it in a lot of ways. But next summer, I want to remember what I've learned.

I don't need a rigid schedule. I don't need every day to be productive. I don't need to miss the fun because I'm worried about staying “on track.”

But I do need a few anchors.

A few little routines that remind me who I am and help me feel good.

So as I head into fall — which happens to be one of the busiest seasons of my year — I'm not trying to overhaul everything or magically get my life together overnight.

I'm just getting back to the things that serve me well.

One little routine at a time.

And maybe that's what a new season is for.