In this episode of Safely Divergent, Kirstie and Eleanor trade their summer farmer’s market standoffs and couch-glued nights for the practical side of routines: the how. If you’ve ever sworn you’d start a morning workout again “tomorrow,” felt buried under clutter and decision fatigue, or wondered why habit trackers and alarms sometimes feel like lifesavers — this episode is your permission slip to start small.

They unpack what it really takes to build sustainable routines: skeleton versions that cut overwhelm, habit stacking that snowballs into natural flow, and visual tools that pull your brain out of junk-drawer chaos. From Sunday Scaries to skincare shortcuts to writing three priorities instead of thirty, you’ll hear personal wins, flops, and the accommodations that actually work for a neurodivergent brain.

And because life is never perfect, Kirstie and Eleanor dig into flexibility, fallback plans, and why asking “why not?” with soft eyes matters more than perfection. Think of it as a survival kit for routines: start tiny, reduce the barriers, and let consistency (not rigidity) do the heavy lifting.

Then, in the Scattered segment, Eleanor dives headfirst into the bizarre saga of Colombia’s “cocaine hippos” — from Pablo Escobar’s exotic pets to invasive river dwellers threatening manatees and fishermen alike. Along the way, you’ll learn pink hippo sweat facts, whether hippos can actually swim, and why you should never, ever try to castrate one.

🕒 Timestamps
00:20 – Starting small & skeleton routines
06:00 – Habit stacking, visual tools & lowering barriers
15:30 – Reminders, rewards & keeping motivation alive
25:40 – Flexibility, soft fallbacks & progress over perfection
31:50 – 🌊 Scattered: Cocaine hippos & hippo trivia

Resources & Mentions
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Read the blog: ⁠safelydivergent.com⁠
Cover art: Honor Heindel
Music by: Obey Grey