Your Best Morning Routine
There’s a lot of hype about morning routines, but what does it really get you?
Louise Hay says, “How you start your day is how you live your day. How you live your day is how you live your life.” If this is true, and many resources suggest it is, then why not spend a few minutes making your life better?
So, what consists of a morning routine?
Here’s the good news, your routine can be short and you get to create it! While there isn’t one routine that’s best for everyone, there are some key components. Mainly, you want a short sequence that creates momentum for your day.
This momentum has been shown to fight morning blues, increase productivity, generate feelings of calm and grounded, lowers stress, and improves overall health.
Best activities can include: making the bed, exercising, stretching, meditating, journaling, drinking water, speaking/reading/writing positive affirmations, shower, eating a nourishing breakfast, etc. This is a time to avoid your phone. In fact, best to wait until completing your routine to look at your phone.
My Morning Routine:
This routine has been pieced together over time, but took hold during the beginning of the pandemic and has remained a daily ritual since. It takes 20-30 minutes
Splash face with cold water: This not only gently cleanses the face, but it also refreshes the mind and skin.
Scrape tongue: This is the practice of gently grazing the tongue with the help of a u-shaped tool or a scraper to remove the debris and bad bacteria, and clear out the surface of the tongue. This is a complementary practice to brushing, flossing, and mouthwash.
Dress to move: Knowing me, if I don't work out in the morning, then I probably won't do it at all, so dress for the occasion!
Lemon water + probiotic: I’m a big proponent of hydration and supplements, so I start every morning with a glass of room temperature water and 1/2 lemon freshly squeezed, plus my favorite probiotic.
Stretch Sesh: Moments after waking I unroll my yoga mat and move into my first sun salutation. This is slow and meant to wake my body and help me connect. As I move through several rounds of sun salutations, this flow becomes a time to listen to my body and where she is tight or holding tension. It’s also a time to rewrite my narrative to more loving words. This short movement session is often just 5 minutes long.
Write/Journal with coffee: Next I pour my freshly perked coffee and sit down with my journal to write. My journaling has some structure too, always including at least 3 gratitude statements.
Often my time ends with me moving into breakfast prep for the teens as they head off to school.
It’s important to acknowledge that a good morning starts the night before, by laying out appropriate clothing, preparing for the day ahead, such as to-do lists, making lunches, etc., followed by a reasonable bedtime.
Are you ready to map out and implement a new, higher-vibe way of starting your day?
“The good news is that exceptional results are also the result of consistent daily choices. Nowhere is this more true than with your morning routine. The way you start your day is often the way that you finish it.” ~ James Clear